THAMES OAK CRUSADER

Louie was looked up to and respected by all the others in the herd, but at the same time he took his place in the pecking order. Even though he was the tallest in the herd, he was also the most inconspicuous. Louie did not need to make his presence known, he was just THERE. He would make his feelings known if he felt that the others were becoming too much, he wasn’t averse to giving the odd kick or bite and one such kick (aimed at Lizzie) ended up with me in hospital with a broken hand and snapped tendon of the third finger, as well as substantial bruising to my leg!! The nurse couldn’t believe I was talking about getting back on even while she was putting the cast on!! I was back on within the week.

Louie was a kind old soul, he never meant any malice and he always tried his hardest at whatever he was being asked to do; he could be stubborn, obstinate and awkward sometimes but all he ever wanted was a pat on the head and to be told ‘I’ve got your back fella, stick with me.’ At his size it could be quite scary when he was faffing around in the middle of the road because he was scared of a tractor or a coach, or even a paper bag in the hedge!! All you could do was laugh, kick him on and hang on if he decided to bolt!!

Louie was a quiet chap, but he’d bicker and fight with Fizz at every opportunity; two naughty old men, the pair of them!! One minute they’d be sniping and bickering in the gateway and the next they’d be eating from the same patch of grass… boys!! Louie loved and looked after our newest recruit Boston-Louie, standing guard while the little one slept, telling him off when he became too boisterous but always looking out for him; he’d put up with hours and hours of being banged into, bitten, kicked and followed around.

Louie enjoyed showing too; he loved the fuss, the pampering, the endless lines of people desperate to see such a huge shire. He would poke his head out of the stable door and grin, all the ‘ooohs and aaahs made him smile. “another cuddle? Picture? More strokes please’. He’d stand for hours being groomed but as soon as the flights and mane roll came out he’d play up, tossing his head about and needing to twist and turn at every opportunity, just so that my plaits ruined that little bit more. I’d be perched on his neck as he was so tall, and although he never tried to get me off he would make plaiting just a little more difficult with his antics.

Louie’s last show, the Yeovil Show was his second ridden class, only the week before I’d massaged him in an attempt to release the tension in his hind and allow him to canter more freely. The judge was more than happy for us all (3) to show together instead of performing individual nerve wracking displays. Louie was desperate to stay with Lunar throughout the show as it was only her second show and every time he saw her he tried bucking and dragging me to her: a swift smack and a HUGE buck and he realised I meant business, and so did he!! Off we went at canter around and around the ring, ‘coming through!!’ I yelled as we overtook another competitor; he was having so much fun that I just did not want to stop him. All the way round I could hear the crowds’ comments ‘wow what a BIG horse’, ‘Wow what a huge buck!!’, ‘oh my god look at him go!!’ and to be honest I was having as much fun as Louie, I laughed all the way into the line up. The judge called us into second place, he was laughing too! I was shocked, but his words summed up Louie perfectly, ‘Well what can I say? He’s all over the place but once he gets going isn’t he expressive?!!’ And so we came home with a blue rosette. Absolutely bursting with pride for this perfect gentleman.

Amazing in every sense of the word; he was fun, cheeky, shy, soft, kind-hearted, willing, trustful, charismatic, flamboyant and animated. Sleep tight handsome xx