Loud in the country

21:30 and total darkness. My man says, "Can we move someplace quiet? This place is too noisy!" I stop breathing to listen. I hear an owl and crickets chirping. "You mean that owl?" Yes!

Funny. I had brought my man out to the streetlight to watch the bats hunt bugs, but they had moved on. I love those tiny bats flying around at night. I know they are not gonna run into me, no, God gave them sonar.

Tonight I took Baasha for a walk to visit the three horses in the field across the street. The tiny black shetland stood at the fence, making cute faces at us to lure us closer. We snuck step by step through the woods, cuz I saw that the grey Arab and Islandic horse had not yet noticed us. Even though they were close, and I could see their faces. Finally we were at the fence, a stupid strand of wire that is not on, cuz the pony leaned her face on it. She let me scratch her forehead, and I could see that she is suffering from insects, her mane and tail are rubbed gone, and I always notice her rolling. Finally the Arab noticed us, and charged.

I mean CHARGED! He came at us with total fury, teeth and hooves raised, and tried to bite Baasha over the fence. I was so shocked! I have never had a horse attack over a fence like this! Nasty!



Next time he charged, I flicked my leadrope over and whacked him on the poll. You know what, he did not even notice. I think 99 percent of horses out there will flee from a rope whack across the poll, but not this evil guy. Sheesh! I love how Baasha stood unflinching next to me. Trusting either me or that fence, I am not sure.

The 31 year old Islandic horse came over and touched noses with Baasha, but right away the evil grey came back to run him off. No visiting!

We stayed as long as possible, undaunted. I would like to know how big he his on the other side of that fence! I mean, I am not afraid of him. I noticed a saddle mark and two front shoes on him. I would like to see him huffing up the trails someday. (These are pics from our first encounter, when he was much nicer and not trying to bite over the fence.)

He ran off his friends indignantly, and we left nonchalantly. We will visit again. These are our next door neighbor horses, we will continue to extend the hand of friendship.

Earlier today I took Baasha for a walk-ride and he is walking just fine now, except I notice his feet are tender on rocks and pavement. So we go slowly where it is rocky, and I only ride a tiny bit. We ran into a pony party and I said hello to Kerstin's Australian Shepherd, but did not talk to her because she had 4 kids, 2 ponies, and 3 parents on hand. She asked me if I was riding, I said "Only a little!" and went on my way, as soon as the parents were done photographing their kids so I wouldn't spoil the pics.

It made me really happy to run into them! All those cute kids in helmets, and what might have been their first horse experience, what a great job she has!

Baasha and I came home to see my man was there first! I hadn't expected him, and I heard piano coming from the house. Baasha and I went up to the window by the piano and knocked. I said, "If yer gonna play, open the window!" and he said, "It's We Are The World." I said, "OK thanks, nevermind!" He pet Baasha on the face, and asked me to turn him so he could see both eyes. He was squinting by then, but it was a dark, rainy day, and his eyes looked good most of the day.

Baasha keeps going out to pasture and not coming in on time for his medicine and meals. I have to go out there and whistle, and he always takes a while to decide it's really me, and that bucket really has mash in it. Tonight not only did he feast on the plums under the fence, but I threw over 4 tiny apples that had fallen.

I also gave him a spa day, doing mane, tail, and forelock! He smells really good, and so do I apparently (my man said so).

Now it's raining, keeping everything green here, and our rain barrels full for our vegetables.

I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.