Horses are a riot!

Horses are a riot!

East of the house we have a paddock that adjoins a pasture - they are separated by a fence and a gate that allows us to move them one place to the other.

Yesterday be moved the gate - and immediately the horses became suspicious. And when they are suspicious they look sideways at it. Now they keep "eyeing" it as if it's gonna jump out at them - and for sure they are going to balk the first time we lead them though.
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James

All animals like to know where things are. They like to look where they should be and there they are.

Dogs do not see in color. In fact they do not see like people at all. It is all shapes and smells and trails of smells, people who smell just so.

Chickens look out of one eye, then the other and hone in on a location and understanding perception.


I have one story about a lovely horse who lives across the road in Lester's Field. Perhaps it will say what I cannot.

Over the road, in the wild land of Lester’s Field, lived one lone horse. She had been registered long ago by her owners as “Southern Star,” but she preferred to be called by the name her mother had given her when she was born: Maudie.

Maudie had grown up with the children of Lester’s Field. They used to come each day after school, bringing carrots and apples. They loved to brush her beautiful silver-grey coat and climb on her back for a good long chase through the pastures and woods. Those were the happy times. Now, all the children had grown up and moved away to other places. The old Judge Lester had died and his widow was spending more and more time in their other home on the island. She had hired a man to come and give Maudie her sweet feed every day, but he was busy and did not have much time to stay and talk. He always rubbed her nose and said, “Good afternoon, Maudie. Have a good feed!” Then he drove away. Maudie had been “put out to pasture.”

A barbed wire fence separated Maudie from the forty-seven red cows and one red bull that lived in Lester’s Field. Several of the red cows were quite nice. Maybelle, especially, came to visit with Maudie over the fence and talk about her calf … what a trial the little one was, and how she had a mind of her own. Maybelle was very proud of her calf.

Other than the cows, Maudie only talked with birds. The Crow came once a day when the hired man brought the sweet feed, and rambled on and on, mostly about a dog named Wooffer. Maudie would like to see a Wooffer. She had never seen one in her life. Yes, she would like to see a Wooffer…

But Maudie’s best friends were the Egrets. Her favorite was Ibie the Ibis. Ibie walked with Maudie everywhere. Sometimes she rode on Maudie’s back. They talked of all manner of things. Important things such as: “Why the grass is green?” “Where do the stars go during the day?” and other things of interest to them both.

One day, Maudie was talking with Ibie the Ibis and asked, “Have you ever seen a Wooffer?” Ibie flew down off Maudie’s back landed right in front of Maudie’s nose. “So, YOU have heard of a Wooffer, too?” he demanded.

Maudie said, “Yes, you mean there is such a thing? I heard something about it from the crow, but you know how he makes things up just to get some sweet feed.” Ibie had heard about Wooffer from the peacock and “the peacock tells the truth,” he said.

From that day on, Maudie and Ibie could think of nothing but finding Wooffer. They asked everyone they saw to tell them what they knew about Wooffer. When the crow came for the sweet feed, Maudie ask him to tell her everything he knew. Well, the crow did not know much, but he did know that Wooffer lived over the road and was not allowed to cross it. It seemed hopeless for Maudie to see Wooffer. She could not get out of her fence … but Ibie could, and Ibie did. She flew over the road, and landed right by the Old Oak Tree where Mr. A.A. Corn was eating acorns. Ibie asked Mr. A.A. Corn to tell her about Wooffer, and explained about Maudie in Lester’s Field, and how they both wanted to see what a Wooffer was.

Well, Mr. Corn went to Lester’s Field and told Ibie and Maudie everything he knew about Wooffer. He left nothing out (he was very fond of Wooffer, himself) and told about the climbing of the tree and how Wooffer was the friend to all animals, big and small. “But,” he added, “he is not allowed to cross the road.”

Several days later, Wooffer’s mom went to get the mail out of the box by the road. Maudie and Ibie were close to the fence.

Maudie shouted, “Neigh!”

Ibie shouted “Bur!” Again and louder, “NEEIIGGHH!” and “BUURRR!”

Wooffer’s mom came up to the fence and stroked Maudie on the nose. She said a kind “Hello” to Ibie. “What is it you want to talk about?” she asked.

Well they both started to talk at once. But finally they got it all said. They wanted to talk to Wooffer. They wanted to be friends. Wooffer’s mom went across the road and picked Wooffer up in her arms and carried him over to the fence. She put him on the ground in front of Maudie and Ibie. Wooffer, Maudie and Ibie talked for a good long time while Wooffer’s mom waited close by. They talked of many things, of why the sky is blue, and if fish rain down from the clouds, and how flowers know what color they are.

Wooffer’s mom promised to bring Wooffer one time a week to the fence to visit with Maudie and Ibie. They were very happy and so was Wooffer. He did like a good discussion.



Love,

Betty

Loved the story, Betty.

Thank you, Abe.
All around me are people with horses. I think it must be one reason people live out in the country. Up the road is the Alafia River State Park where people take their family and their horses to explore the Florida wilderness (that has been tamed enough for city people.)

I am intimidated by horses and big dogs, well...really big people, too. My neighbors have two Bull Mastiff dogs. They are like really big Wooffers, but still I feel nervous if Debbie or Louis are not with them. It must be a psycho thing because they have never given me cause to be afraid.

I think I understood Dick's attachment to hampsters and gerbils. I have had both as pets. They are as smart as Old Agnes and just as clever. My daughter had a couple as pets. They were in a big fish tank. At night, they ran on their wheels non-stop. One night she had heard that squeek on time too many and got up and whacked the glass aquarium. It broke, they were free and we never saw them again. She felt so bad!

Like Sophie and Maisy and Joey and Mr. Zip-Zip, they each had a personality that their own. Well, all animals do if you let them into your heart.

Love,
Betty