and PFB again, because I really don't think I was this time

[catgirl1976]

DSis and I have a horse. He's retired now due to tendon issues.

DSis has recently moved in with a new partner who has a field at their house so the horse has been moved there.

She invited me to bring DS and see the horse settled in his new field.

We took DS into the field. He loved stroking the horse and was very excited. He's 17 months as I say so very mobile. He wanted to go 'down' 'down' and was wriggling when he couldn't

The horse is a gentle giant (17.2) and would not hurt DS maliciously, but he is still an animal (and a big one at that) and DS is too little to know how to behave around a horse so I was having to either hold a tantruming, 2 stone + toddler the whole time or let him down but be constantly moving him around so he wasn't getting under the horses legs.

DS then spots a flock of sheep sharing the field and runs off after them. All good but the sheep have lambs and again DS is too little to know how to behave with them. Eventually, a sheep tries to butt him amd misses his chest by a whisker. DSis think this is hilarious. I dont.

I decide I am taking DS home as he can't run around the sheep and horse (and clumps of nettles) safely and holding him whilst he tantrums and shouts 'down' is exhausting for me and frustrating for DS

DSis has a massive go at me basically saying I am being precious, making DS 'soft' and ruining the nice day frolicking in the field she had planned. She is in a total strop with me.

AIBU? I just think DS is the wrong age. Too mobile to just sit happily on a rug and look at the animals but not grown up enough to be allowed to run around with them

Orf!

[Orf is a skin disease of sheep and goats characterised by the development of pustular or 'scabby' lesions around the mouth and nostrils of lambs. The infection may also affect the teats of ewes, and the lower legs of lambs. Although the disease can strike at any time of the year, infections are most commonly seen in young lambs and their ewes. It is transmittable to humans]

I remember a period of time when this disease seemed to be all over the place. I'm not mad keen on children playing with suckling lambs (or their butting mothers) unless there are really adequate washing facilities to hand.

[That is, where the sheep and their health status is unknown. I wouldn't dream of telling sheep farmers whether there flock was or was not healthy enough to be handled by children]

Oh and having a toddler in the field when you turned a horse out in it for the first time was decidedly risky anyway, knowing how they can get a bit excitable and snorty.

Sp: their flock .... not 'there'.

ooops.

Thank you

She has texted to apologise but said 'I have just never seen you like that with him before and it shocked me'

I'm pretty sure I am normally concerned for his safety.....

sleeton given the 2 dead sheep I wasn't convinced of the health of the flock myself!

yanbu my toddlers are into everything I sweat buckets and my hair and make up (if Ive bothered) ends up a total mess after a mere walk down the road. and thats on reigns! It doesnt sound like you or your ds were enjoying it (as he wanted to go down) so why not remove yourself from it and let the stress subside (I usually head for the wine then). In fact Im actually glad you posted this as I tried to walk across a car park today with my 15mo ds he wouldnt be held he wouldnt walk he wouldnt go in pushchair and those toddlers are strong! I ended up manhandling him under my arms across the car park then he was happy again! I was thinking I was the only one with mad, mad, mad kids and then you come along and remind me Im not. So op! Oh and also on the first page of this thread a mnetter (cant recall name) has put on a post so full of misspellings that I have been laughing my head off! It was the 'Aldi Rhino' bit that did it! Now, wheres my wine? heres to our wild dcs and the inability to do peace and quiet until they go to school!

I am glad she apologised. She was very unreasonable.

I wouldn't let my toddler near a bloody big, protective ewe who had a lamb! Sheep are bigger than you might think and could easily trample a toddler.

That outing sounds like my idea of HELL with my ds at the same age. I basically never voluntarily went anywhere without walls when he was going through his bolting phase. Thwarting him in any way resulted in a full on tantrum. It was bloody exhausting. It did pass though, and my second child was not like this. I couldn't believe what a doddle it all was after my first experience.