My handsome paint horse, Reo, has finally settled into his new home at StoneRidge Stables. He shares 22 acres of wooded hills and grassland. Mostly woods, but enough forage to keep him healthy and satisfied. His two gelding pasture mates are like him…hefty quarterhorse types, actually Paints, with lots of white coloring and kind dispositions.
I wonder if Reo misses his favorite pasture mate, Scout, who is still at the previous barn in Lexington ? I know at first he searched for Scout at this new barn, but these two new fellows have accepted him and he them, and I believe he is comfortable and contented at last. Domesticated horses are at our mercy as to where they live and how they live. Reo is fortunate I am his owner, as I am paranoid that he be cared for properly, and kept safe, groomed, and treated with kindness. I do adore this handsome horse, with his greedy food fetish (he’ll eat anything) and his quirky mannerisms. But this horse senses I’m not agile anymore and tolerates some of my odd mannerisms, too. How many horses would stand while an old lady mounts in such a way that she basically lays on his neck while she tries to swing her arthritic leg over his back! Reo does that for me, and I do so much appreciate that. Once I’m on, he is tolerant of my training methods, my weak legs, my too soft hands, and my irritation at our failure to accomplish a nice, quiet lope. He’s 16, I’m 76. We’re a good match. I don’t take any crap from him, and he doesn’t take any misdirected crap from me. Perfect!
When we’re done riding, he enjoys grazing on the nice lawn surrounding the barn before he is taken back to his turnout area. He whinnies for his friends. They do not respond. He nudges my pockets because he knows they are filled with apple nuggets. He will get gobs of them when he enters the gateway like a gentleman, which he mostly does. He stands behind the gate and watches me walk away. I turn and watch him walk away. I find peace then, but melancholy, too. I could stand and watch him for hours, but I am called to return home. Besides the damn flies are very annoying.
