Mara likes the farriers

The donkey has her own farrier, a friend of J's family. He doesn't do much of the work lately, he just lets his apprentice wrestle the donkey. She's getting better about not needing to be wrestled, but still throws her entire weight into the poor guy trying to smash him flat. This time Armin helped by putting his hand on the donkey's hip to support her as the young guy worked.

For the first time I didn't lock Mara out of the area. I thought, heck, what's she gonna do? And she was thrilled to be included. I chased her away at first but she came right back and stood in the middle of the action, listening to Armin give me his chicken soup recipe because J is sick and he wants me to make him soup. If the stores were open on Sundays, I would.

First Mara started sniffing Armin all over in a gentle fashion. She was almost not touching him, perhaps only with her whiskers, and breathing in and out as she explored him up and down. Armin kept talking, ignoring her (Who can ignore such cuteness? Oh right, male horse professionals can (sigh).)

Then Mara moved to the apprentice, this beanstalk tall guy with Martin Gore hair. She again very gently moved her nostrils all over him, perhaps tickling but never nosing or pushing.  I was a little jealous because she doesn't do this with me - only sometimes if I'm sitting in a chair in the pasture, she'll sniff my shoes. Or on trails, she'll touch me with a nostril on my arm to say, "Can we move on?" I have worked perhaps too much with her on my personal space rule.

When the apprentice was done, he stood up, looking like a giant over my 14HH horse. Then he reached his arms out and gave Mara a bear hug around her neck, ruffling her mane and cuddling with her. Aha, that guy seems to love horses. I hope being a farrier doesn't take that away from him.

It made me wistful because she was was acting like Baasha; he was gently affectionate with everyone he met. It also made me think how easy it would be for someone to steal her.

Later I went out to do some gardening and Mara gently tried to take the loppers out away from me by carefully taking the hand grip in her teeth. Yesterday she grabbed the hose with her mouth as I washed her white socks. I think her grabbing my tools is fun for her. Spraying me back with the hose, which she does often, is funny for everyone: ) Perhaps she thinks since she's not allowed to enter my space, she can simulate that by taking my things?

For the first time today I tried do do groundwork with her with no halter or rope, loose in our field. I was amazed that she could do it, except backing up was crooked for some reason. She even "shook hands" for tiny carrot pieces.

I haven't been taking photos much lately but here's something...

A few days ago I found this forgotten photo of Baasha and his cat friend on his last day in Issaquah where he spent most of his life. I was already living in Germany, my sister took this photo the day she took him to a friend of mine's place to live until he went to quarantine.  This is also the last time he ever wore a bridle path: )