Yet another new species for Mara

This time, a GOAT! We're almost out of species here - just llamas/alpacas and pigs and then I can't think of any more that should worry her. I remember Baasha had issues with each new species too.

4 and a half hours we were out there, tromping through the woods, me mostly on foot (my left hip joint bothers me when I walk that long now, maybe I need a new one). I did the "Icelandic" loop where we pass the Icelandic farm where Mara had serious issues last time - it took us 45 minutes I think, to pass the Icelandic field due to a curve in the trail and stump.

This time I was on foot and we took our time, but she was still plenty scared of that stump. Unbelievable.

I let her graze but only right by the stump, to her chagrin. 14 Icelandics, mostly yearlings, were pressing their bodies together as close as they could get to us. They have the softest eyes, and they stare at me almost to the point of rudeness. I kept checking my outfit, touching my helmet, saying, "What? You haven't seen a 9 year old helmet before? Am I overdressed? Under? Do I have something on my face?" Cuz at any time, about 4 of them would be staring directly at me, ignoring my horse even.

Mara was enjoying the knee high grass, we spent about 20 minutes there watching the Icelandics shuffle around, trying to get closer to her, and I was trying to pick my favorite. I always have to do this with any group of horses. None of them had ever had their hooves done, obviously, but it didn't stop them from cavorting and chasing each other, sometimes quite violently.

Mara jumped a few times as they would go from standing around to galloping circles in a moment. So sorry I don't have a picture - next time I promise I'll get some. One thing I would have photographed - a couple of the babies were, um, tasting? each other's breath? It was so odd, they were touching noses, breathing, and flicking their tongues in and out at the same time.

They kept wanting to touch Mara, but she ignored them completely. She enjoys having an audience, but doesn't need to meet anyone new.

I led her all the way down to the "river" and walked across it, soaking my shoes. Then I got on her on the bank, then asked her to cross it, but didn't force the issue (like I did that one time and ended up spending way too long there!). This time she was like, "Well what do you want? Do you want me to cross or just stand here at the edge?" I let her choose and she walked right across. I long for the day when she actually takes a drink.

That hill took probably 15 minutes to get down, and I trotted her all the way up in 3 minutes. I would like it if my horse actually worked a day of her life.

There was a herd of cows we spent some time grazing next to, they were curious about her but she only did an alarm snort once (ACHTUNG, cows!) and then just ate calmly, but watching them. I wonder how that cud chewing thing works. Almost all the cows had names written on their ear tags, how sweet! Boliva, Nick, I couldn't quite read the others.  I was very pleased - these were new cows, and she finally is just accepting them as a species.

Next to the Thai restaurant lives a goat with long ram horns, a long black beard, brown wattles, and white body. I was thrilled to show Mara a new species and she had a little meltdown when the goat actually moved for the first time. I took her over to his fence and he came right up, and has the sweetest expression, kind of like my donkey. He seemed to want to say hello. His tail was straight up and I didn't know if that meant he was going to charge the fence and rip our guts out, or just politely say hi. When Mara spooked away from him, he spooked too, and did a little half-flip in the air, ending up a few meters from where he was. I'm sure Mara was thinking, This animal defies gravity, and look, cloven hooves, horns, kinda looks like the lord of darkness, Tim Curry in Legend!"

There were some horses in the field next to him so I let Mara graze by them for another 15 minutes or so. She kept her eye on the goat the entire time.

I "ground-drove" her home part way, with just my one NH lead - now that she knows about ground driving, I can just "reverse-nod" to her (that means move away from me), tell her "Walk on" and fall behind her. I'm sure it looks quite strange to people driving by, a person walking a horse from behind, holding the horse with only one hand.

I almost couldn't walk any further but I made it home. As I untacked, Mara had her head almost completely down to the ground; she doesn't have a damp spot on her, but she's mentally fried. It was a really positive day because I was on the ground most of the time, doing my part to show her there's nothing to fear, and it's actually fun out there.  Her expression was so wiped, you would think I *rode* her all that time.

Now I've got a sinkfull of white biothane. I seem to recall not needing to wash my black set as often. Hm.

She looks like a Quarter Horse in this picture, how odd. Note our nice buttercup infestation, ugh. Soon you will all be gone!

Mara in the backyard

The donkey may seem subordinate, but she really runs the show - here Mara mimics the donkey's movements perfectly

This is the upper, newer grazing strip. They have groomed it down to golf-courseness. These two girls really take care of the grass for us and somehow stay fat on just that and a handful of vitamins

Ah, finally I captured another image of Mara politely approaching me

Somewhat warped photo from one of the videos from last week