Pasture Gazing

Due to Skye's continuing lameness and the busyness of my schedule, I haven't been able to do much with that girl for the past week. But I've been making it out to the barn as much as I can anyway. One reason is for her. I owe it to her, and I don't want her slipping backward when we have come so far, relationship-wise. The other reason is for me. I've got some things going on that worry me right now, but as soon as I turn onto the dirt road that leads to the barn, the worry seems to evaporate like steam off a coffee cup. Just getting out in the fresh air with smell of horses and the warmth of Skye's breath on the back of my hand does more for me than any drug could, so I do it. For me, and for anyone else who has to deal with me.

One of the benefits of going out there with no agenda is that I just take my time messing around. The past two days I've just been hanging out with the herd in Skye's pasture after I put her away, and while it might be like watching grass grow for someone else, it's been pretty damn interesting for me.  

Pasture patrol. Captain ready at the gate.

I love watching the interaction of the horses, either at the hay, at the water trough or if something exciting happens. Skye is undoubtedly the captain of this little crew, so she eats first, she drinks first, and she, and she alone, gets to hang with her mommy when I first enter the pasture. Sweet little Reebok made the mistake of coming over to me without her okay, and she chased him away with her big swinging head. I rubbed on him later, after she abandoned me for hay, but I won't put him in the way of her wrath again. Still, she makes sure he can get hay or water, as I have seen her chase the "mean girls" (two mares who pick on him, and each other) away from him if they interfere with him for too long. The pecking order shows itself in so many ways, and I learn so much just watching them together. It's so heartening to know that Skye isn't just a pretty face. She's also a nice person and a good leader.

See? Nice!

On Monday afternoon, I got another treat. I was just watching the horses at the hay when suddenly they all took off at a canter to the other side of the pasture. Surely some monsters must be charging! But no, it was three very small, obviously young deer. I didn't seem them get in, but they wandered around for a while near the hay. I went in and managed to get fairly close to them without them caring. While I was inching toward them, I saw Reebok follow about 10 yards behind me. Funny that he was the bravest. Skye was just behind him, watching, all alert, ears pricked, nostrils flared, but she was definitely watching me as much as the scary deer. When the deer noticed me, they got very still. I am extremely nosy about wildlife, but I didn't want to stress them, so I started backing away, looking down at the ground occasionally so they wouldn't see me as a threat. Then they trotted a bit and leapt right through the two upper electric ropes that make up the fence. Of course it doesn't sting them because they are not grounded when they go through. I turned to go and practically ran into Skye, who had crept up behind me. She dropped her head right down for a rub. The shocking news: I was utterly charmed. 

Today my pasture watching yielded a little position jockeying at the water, and a display of the bluebirds showing off for each other around the power lines. I love gray birds and brown birds too, but I'm a sucker for a flash of blue with a bright red breast. Once again, totally unfair to the less beautiful. And I got my hands on Skye and on Reebok, the relief from my worry and a little perspective to go with it.

Cookie Monster

Oh, and I did give her some apple cookies. I'm weak. So weak.