Elegant Grace, 8 years old

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Partners in Crime

After feeding the horses this afternoon I returned to our fenced in back yard where my dogs were nowhere to be seen.  Usually they wait by the gate for me.  I walked toward the other end of our large yard to see Chamois, our yellow lab peeking out from behind a group of large pine trees.  She looked back behind the pines, then slowly headed toward me with a slight and unsure tail wag.  “Where’s Lola?” I asked.  Like a bolt of lightning, Lola and her terrier speed shot across the yard to greet me.  Normally she then stays by my side.  Not today.  She turned around and sped back over toward the pines, stopping before she arrived.  She turned around toward me again, “C’mon!  Look what we found!”  Clearly she wanted me to follow her.  Chamois stuck close to my heels as we followed Lola.  Tucked nicely between the fence and a pine tree was a ten-inch deep hole that was perfectly dug by some crafty dog feet.  There was nothing in it.  I looked in the yard where Lola now stood with something resembling noodles dangling from her lips.  “Lola, Leave it.” I stated firmly.  Completely obedient, she dropped the delicacy on the grass. She must be more terrier than she is beagle.  A beagle doesn't drop anything.  Both dogs wagged their tails as they watched me scoop up a hunk of intestines and other organs into my glove.  I hurled them over the fence and took a closer look at my dogs.  Lola’s front feet and legs were plastered in mud, as was her entire muzzle and forehead.  She must have done the digging while Chamois served as look-out.   Clearly they were working together on this project.  The best part of the whole thing was their joy in including me in their adventure.  Being one of the pack is pretty cool.  They had no idea they were headed to the bathtub.
Lola and Chamois


Monday, March 7, 2011

Friends

     Twenty-two degrees today. Wind speed of zero, crisp clean air, and the sun’s gift of warmth surrounding the earth. Like cats in a sunspot, the horses soak up the rays while lying down in the reflective snow. Just peering out the window at them brings me to a place of quiet inside myself. They are perfect role models on how to live a peaceful, active life.
     Today after spreading several flakes of hay as a noon snack for my five beauties, I brought out the bucket of grooming supplies and set it on the ground next to me. I just stood watching these incredible mares enjoying their hay when Willow, our 29 year old chestnut surprised me. With a mouthful of green sprigs dangling from her lips, she picked up her head, turned on her hindquarters, and purposefully ambled over to me. After giving her a peppermint from my pocket, I assumed she’d turn right around and go back to her hay. They rarely leave their hay for any reason. However, she stayed. She stood shoulder to shoulder with me and rested a hind leg, inviting me to “be” with her. I picked Willow’s favorite curry comb from the bucket and began to groom her. She contorted her neck, closed her eyes, and let out a contagious sigh. After a few minutes of this I realized that standing behind me nudging my elbow with her perfect black muzzle was Scarlet! She wanted to be next! I turned my attention to Scarlet and began to scratch her ears as Willow walked away and went back to eating. As I curried Scarlet’s velvet neck and rib cage for several minutes, who showed up behind my back, but Grace! Laughing out loud, I began to curry Grace’s lean red back and hindquarters. She, in turn, started grooming Scarlet’s neck with her lips and teeth. Scarlet returned the favor by helping me groom Graces neck. We had become a triangle of “You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.” This is what friends do. After this joyful interaction ended, I walked away smiling. I’m pretty sure my mares were smiling too.


Scarlet, Grace, and Willow last summer