It was a long, cold, wet week here in the Pacific Northwest, complete with a few inches of snowfall, and I didn’t get out to see Sage for the entire week. I can’t remember the last time we were apart for so long. Fortunately, she is in a place now that I need not sit home and worry about her needing companionship, exercise, clean water, decent hay, or any of the other myriad challenges we have run into at other barns over the years.
Even A Dirty Horse Is Beautiful
Nevertheless, I drove to the barn today excited to see my horse. When I headed out through the pasture and crested the gently sloping hill in the light drizzle, I saw my light golden Palomino resplendent in dried mud from a week’s worth of rolling in, and tromping over, muddy acreage. And she was beautiful as ever.
Chosen By A Horse – Or Four
When Sage lifted her head from grazing and saw me, she came walking up to the crest of the hill to greet me. I buckled on her halter and started leading her away, back to the barn, when all of a sudden the rest of the herd – two geldings and a mare – all came pounding after us.
I was thrilled.
You see, when I moved Sage into this herd about five months ago, it was initially difficult to get her to come away from her fellow equines. Once I accepted that my horse liked the beings with which she spent 24 hours a day, seven days a week, we passed that little hurdle and moved on quite nicely; she started following me back to the barn without too much effort, and sometimes the other mare would follow us too. Now, the whole herd is following me back to the barn. It is happening consistently, and it means a great deal to both of us I am sure. For Sage, it means she has horse company by the barn (which is completely out of sight of the large, upper acreage where she and the herd are usually grazing at by day). For me, I feel like I have overcome the trauma in early childhood of not being picked early for the sports teams in school…heck, look at me now, followed by over three tons of horse flesh with very little effort on my part at all.
Ignorance And Bliss
Yes, today was special, and it was about to get even more special. After brushing Sage, I turned her back out with her buddies who were grazing on leftover hay piles from the morning. Sage, however, stayed right by the fence that was separating us, ignoring the hay and instead nuzzling me with her head and resting it on my shoulder, warm breath on my face and neck, and then moving her lips on chest, shoulders, and arm. I rarely give her treats, so I was puzzled about the nuzzling until it dawned on me suddenly: she was trying to groom me like she grooms her other mare friend. I was floored – and honored. I stood there petting her neck and face, soaking up the feeling of being accepted into her herd and, yes, maybe even loved by her. At least 15 minutes passed and I knew I should be going, but she never left the fence as long as I was there, in the barn.
I finally had to go get into my truck and head off to my home and “other” family. I left with the lingering breath of her on my cheek and neck, small white horse hairs embedded in my fleece jacket, and feeling like I had just been initiated into some secret club.
Driving home, I recalled a letter written to me after my article on rope halters appeared on HorseCity.com; suffice to say the man was neither a friend nor a fan of mine. One thing that stuck out in the letter was his statement that I knew nothing about horses. Turning a corner and heading home, I smiled to myself thinking that if that is true, then ignorance is bliss – to both me and my horse.
My Most Important Followers
I also came away with two important reminders: judge myself not by others’ eyes unless they be of the equine kind, and 2) the most important followers are not always on Twitter or Facebook and don’t have two legs but four…
And that’s a pretty darned good way to start off a new year.