Camping with my horse, every day!

That's what this is - living with my horse, it's like camping, but every day! It occurred to me cuz I strung up my purple highline to protect the fruit trees from Baasha. That same one I used for so many camping trips, to make little ghetto paddocks, stringing it between trees. Or, more appropriately, to make an actual highline in ridecamp.

I was so excited today I thought I might faint or something, as my neighbor lady drove me to get Baasha. It was 3 pm when we arrived, and the morning feeding lady had just arrived. She said, "He hasn't had breakfast!" and that must have been why all the other horses were standing at the gate staring at me. Where was Baasha? Dead? (I assume the worst.) No, he was just as far as possible from the other horses, at the other end, staring off into the distance. It made me feel better about taking him away from his "buddies".

But you know what, Ronni knew. Somehow that brat knew. I've never had him clobber me like that before. He was just ON me. I pushed him away, and he ran at Baasha and collided into him, again, in that kitten-like fashion, with half his body on top of Baasha. I led Baasha to the trailer and he jumped right on. I hugged the barn owner goodbye and said "Leb Wohl" to Cronenberg. (Live long and prosper, in German.)

My man was there as we arrived home, I rang the doorbell and he came out, smiling, saying hello to Baasha. We took Baasha to our backyard and let him loose. Baasha put his nose in the grass and didn't look up for a very long time. I had removed his blanket cuz it was a sunny warm day. (I had to wear sunscreen.) Baasha rolled in our grass and left an enormous white patch of hair. He couldn't get up! It freaked me out, he had rolled in a divot, wrong side up, and his legs were all above him, and he was basically cast. He finally gave up struggling and just lay there panting. I thought, "Oh no, he ate a snowbell and he's ill!!" and ran over to him. Clapped my hands once and he jumped up. When he shook, a cloud of hair drifted away, toward the property line. I said "OH NO the neighbors' yard!": )

My husband went inside and came back with a few carrots. He said "Baasha" in that sing-song way that means we have something good for him. Funny, it's like you break up the word into three syllables: "Ba-sha-ah": ) And Baasha perks up and comes right over to my man happily.

Baasha took a few bites of our hay, but really, the grass was too good.

I noticed he'd stare off into the horizon sometimes, getting in touch with this place.

I had been so worried he'd pull a "foxy pants" (insanely nervous here) but he was eyes-half-shut relaxed right away, enjoying the sunshine on his back, and the room service, cuz we came with breakfast, treats, then not too much later, dinner.

The only time I saw him jump was when he walked under a tree and the branches scraped along his back. Just now I hung out with him in the stall and he fell asleep. His head kept dropping lower and lower, until his nose banged into the mesh, and it clanged him awake. I am NOT going to lock him up tonight, as paranoid parent as I am, cuz he just seems so relaxed and he hasn't even gone near any fence.


At one point today I went out to him. He nickered hopefully. I gave him a carrot, and then I turned and ran away, thinking that would show him he needn't follow me. Wrong, he tossed his head saucily and trotted after me, all the way to the gate.

Just now when I left him, he followed me to the gate again. I really think he wants in the house: ) He obviously doesn't want me to leave him alone out there, oh well.

Jesus said when you leave a town that wasn't friendly, wipe the dust off your shoes. So I went out with a hoofpick, and as Baasha grazed, I cleaned it all out of his feet. It must feel good to have clean feet and walk on grass or nice dry stall mats. He still has mud clinging to him all over, but I let it stay tonight cuz I didn't want to hassle him (he doesn't love grooming). Tomorrow I'll make him pretty.

I was delighted to see my man go out to work in his office, but he stopped at the fridge first and grabbed a carrot for Baasha. See, he'll be HIS horse too soon: )

Best day ever. I mean, after our wedding day and the day I actually got Baasha, 21 years ago. I can't wait til tomorrow!