Mag runs to J

"Have you ever ridden a horse that ran as fast as Mag just now?" J asked.

     
"Twice in my life. Once on Princess Buttercup, and once on a pony when I was 10, in Oklahoma."

 (I do not include the times I've been run away with on Baasha, cuz that was no fun.)

***

Almost every day Mag plays a game with me where I clean up poop in the pasture and he pretends to lose track of me, and then comes galloping to me full speed and slams on the brakes before collision.

It's both awesome and flattering, sort of like having a big thundery-hoofed dog.

Today he came crashing through low hanging branches and slid to a stop before me, "I FOUND YOU!"

"Mag, you always know where I am. You just pretend to lose me." SO CUTE. I usually reach out and brush one of his nostrils with the back of my hand. Love you.




     




     

Today I found one of our electric fence wires hanging down and found the culprit, a broken corner ring insulator. I removed it and found a replacement in the barn.

Try as I might, I could not get the the fence line stretched tight enough to reach the ring, and I had to walk up and down both directions of fence finding areas to tug on.

Both Bellis and Mag found it fascinating. I think they connect any fence activity with an opening of a new grazing area, even though the other side of this fence is our neighbor's arrow-shooting camp with fake animals everywhere, and ...oh je, today is Sunday, when they have guests over to shoot arrows. I hear the thuds and think, "DON'T SHOOT!"

*Update - J tells me the word for bow shooting is "Archery" - yes, that rings a bell.*

Bellis had her nose on my shoulder the entire time I extracted wire from a corner T-post. Mag stood back politely.

I trudged back but to no avail, I could not do this on my own.

I asked J for help. He came immediately to the field with me, the furtherst point from our house and he helped me tension the wire to get it onto the ring insulator on the Tpost. Both animals ignored us until they didn't.

Mag came galloping full power up the hill toward us, slamming to a halt, "Hi there! Whatcha doin?"




     

I explained to J that this is a regular thing, that he loses me and then finds me again, triumphantly.

J wondered if Mag would follow him, if he traversed the pasture alone.

I stayed put with Mag and Bellis as J trekked the entire 5 acres, down and then up.

Mag stood by my side.

I said, "Not interested?"

I could see Mag was torn. He wanted to be with me, but he wanted to run to join his "herd" too.

I said, "Go ahead, if you like."

I must be clear that I did not encourage Mag beyond just saying, "It's OK." I made no movement.

Mag took off like a shot, leaving Bellis and me in his dust.

J, on the other side of the pasture, was clever enough to find a post to stand behind. Whew.

Mag erupted near him and pranced about happily. J was careful to keep the post between them. Good instincts!

When Bellis and I finally rejoined him, he said only, "Have you ever ridden a horse that ran that fast!?"

Mag and Bellis followed us both back to the barn politely.

***

I love living with this horse. I dream of great things despite my shortcomings.

I love having a husband who adores both Mag and Bellis, lavishing affection on them whenever he sees them.