Thank God for Horses

In a few minutes I will head out to chore my horses. I'll walk the depth of the little farm and the cool morning air will be a balm to my skin. My feet and legs will be soaked in the dew. As I get close to the horse pasture. I'll give them the "I'm coming" whistle. They'll nicker and call and run. They'll fill my eye and refresh my spirit.

Thank God for that.

Pip, my darling blonde, is a haflinger. So, friends often send me haflinger stuff. Pictures, articles, etc. Recently a friend sent me an entire magazine that featured an article on haflingers. Much of the information I had but I did learn that haffies are not draft horses. In this country, they are usually billed as the smallest draft breed. This was new information for me. According to the article, they are performance horses. That sounds so cool!! (Have no idea what it means however)

I have seen Pip perform though. She is the queen of popping an electric fence. Then it shorts and she can visit around the area. Last fall as I was out fixing the fence again she decided to show me how it was done. I had the fence off while I was tightening, splicing, wrapping etc. She touched the wire with her nose. All was good. She reared ever so slightly, putting both feet over the bottom wire. Then lowered her head and shoved it under the top wire. Then she proceeded to wriggle her way through, like a child putting on a shirt. This is where she had gotten when I tried to stop her and get her backed up. She swung her head around to look at her predicament. Then gave me such an expressive look as if to say, "I can't back up.... there's a fence in my way."

I let her through while muttering expletives. I figured she would high tail it next door to visit with Cisco... but she didn't. Instead she went around the truck and inspected my work. Checked out the pliers. Found the spare wire. Then checked out the contour of the truck hood with her lips. Found the door handles. Discovered stuff in the bed of the truck. Then , with all of the joy of a husband that just found that there WAS a bag of chips in the cupboard, she pulled out the water softener salt. She would yank the bag around and salt would tumble out the opening and she would crunch away.

Now according to that magazine article, not only are haffies great with fences but they can also do dressage and jumping. She is the perfect creature... just what I am needing today. So, I shall now pull on my shoes and grab another cup of coffee and head out. I'll walk the depth of the property and whistle up my horses and refresh my spirit.

Louie