Skud Stories
from various letters - over a three-year period
Back in May a very smart, very young (about 4wks old), very neglected, louse and tick-ridden puppy found its way onto the road in front of Robert's car. He certainly knew which car to jump in front of.... Robert (like his mother?) couldn't let a creature in distress go unattended, so Skud joined the family. Despite all odds, Skud (the Indigenous Dog) survived to grow into a healthy and shiny brindle something-or-other.
During Skud's first year, Robert was living away from home. On the rare occasions that Robert visited us, Skud came too, go get his dose of running with whippets. He fitted in right from the start.
Skud and mud -
Skud has a "thing" about water on the ground, and mud. Whenever there is a pool of water, he has to dig in it. There is a hidden world down there, and he needs to know about it.
When I clean out horse water buckets, I provide him with a gateway to his hidden world. He scratches frantically to make the most of his opportunity, and immerses his entire nose in the resulting mud hole. When I fill up the dog's giant water dish, some water usually spills over and runs down the concrete of the verandah into a hole. You guessed it: a Skud-hidden-world to dig his way into and investigate, and the hole gets bigger by the day!
Today was particularly exciting for Skud. There were large areas of water laying in the horse arena, and Robert tells me Skud had his whole head in one of them - completely immersed in muddy water! I'm sure it was worth it because fascinating things go on underground - just ask Skud! He now has a light coating of mud all over his face and front legs.
Needless to say, all dogs were banished from the house this morning, especially the brindle indigenous one called Skud!
On Saturday morning I had to put up the dressage arena for Sunday's training day. I took Skud and two whippets with me (Rugby and Cleo). When I'd finished, I went to visit Catriona. I often take dogs there, our dogs all know each other and get on well together - except, as I discovered, Skud! It was his first visit, and Catriona's terrifying mini-fox and other terriers frightened him so much that he fled - at high speed.
I spent over three hours driving around looking for Skud! Mostly on dirt roads, along the river, all the way home, back on the main road, along the river again, and so on. I coudn't believe he was lost! Round about 5pm, when I was getting desperate and about to try looking in another direction, I saw Skud's head pop up out of the top of the long buffel grass along Heath Road, just up from Catriona's. It immediately disappeared again, and I rushed to the spot where I'd seen him. I called, and with much relief on both sides, he reappeared from the long grass and jumped into the car. He must have been there all along! What a wasted afternoon.
My front WHIPET numberplate was missing! It must have fallen off somewhere along the (rough) river road. So back along the river road we went and luckily, after a few kilometres, found the numberplate lying in the middle of the road.
After all that, I went shopping - stress relief? (I don't think so - I hate shopping!!)
A Horse vs dog story:
After a particularly tiring afternoon "clerking" at the races, I headed home with every intention of lunging both Haji and Kassie, but I had totally run out of energy. Kassie and Beaver were allowed the luxury of some freedom loose on the block, and Haji had a run in the work arena. He was extremely full of himself, and was in his very best "dog-killing" mood. Robert had let Poppy out, and she thought she should chase Haji, until he turned on her. She only just got under the fence in time. Skud was not quite so lucky. He's been getting very good at not chasing horses, but with Poppy's influence he thought it might be a good idea just to have a little run & chase. When Haji flew at him he was not quick enough to get out of the way. He looked rather like a rubber ball as he flew through the air and rolled along the ground, and both Robert and I thought he was dead. But he managed to pick himself up, and with only a slight limp he ran off into the long grass to hide, in shame. I was most relieved when Robert retrieved him, and we found he wasn't injured at all. He kept well away from the horses after that - long may it last!
