Queue jumper!

It's been a wet week but this morning dawned bright, and a bit chilly and autumnal.  Not the sort of morning for midges and beasties to be flying around, but they were about - and the boys knew it.  When the beasties are about the boys either use the water trays, the sand pits or the back of the shelter - or a combination of all three, to get out of their way.   Fyta was first to trot up to the tray and dunk his feet.

This seemed like a good idea so the other boys gather round, Fergus (left) with Gully grazing behind, then Wee Eck (note his teeth!), Rufus, Gaucho and Faro looking over the hedge.

It's not long before Fyta is nudged out so he gives the water trough a try........

He's back into the tray but by now Fergus has decided to get the deckchair and towel out for a bit of poolside sunbathing whilst Wee Eck and Rufus work out how to tackle the '4 in a tray won't go' problem.

Not one to bother with queueing for anything, Wee Eck shoo's the other boys away and gets in!  Rufus is not happy about this and the pair start moaning and groaning at each other and showing their visible warnings - noses facing up in the air, ears back, teeth showing - this will lead to spitting if one or the other doesn't move!  

Now this is a first for Rufus - we've never actually seen him standing in the water tray before.  He and Wee Eck joined the herd just over a year ago and whilst Eck is always in the thick of the herd action, Rufus is much more reserved and usually to be found on the edges of the group.  Over the past year he has become much less of a loner and more willing to participate in the herd's activities, although he can be troublesome at feed time (as last week's blog describes!)  We've often seen him watching the other boys going into the tray but he's never been bold enough to try it himself.  Well done Roofie!

But the last word goes to Eck, who perhaps because of his deafness, is rarely deflected from what he wants to do - he just pushes forward and goes ahead and does it!  So having moaned and groaned and got rid of the competition, he now has the tray to himself for a morning soak.    Result!