The horses were inside the old barn enjoying its dark, shady coolness, but as soon as Abby heard my whistle and then call her name, her head popped out the door and she stepped right out to see me.
Gosh, it was good to see her again. (Yes, she's licking the bars of the gate. Gotta get that peppermint drool!) The rest of the herd soon came out to visit, too.
I was topping off the trough during my visit and the horses wandered over to get a drink of that fresh, cool water.
Not only was it good to be back at the barn again, but being there was also a benchmark in my healing. If I can drive myself to the barn and walk out to visit Abby, then things are getting back to normal.

Are the other horses waiting until Trouble is finished, or are they just fascinated by his antics? Are they lined up in any particular herd order? Watching that splashing almost makes me want to join in the fun -- it's hot and humid here too.
ReplyDeleteGood question! That space is narrow, and so the horses usually go single file, and double only once in a great while. Pecking order was clearly in play in this video. Trouble went down the lane first to get a drink. While Diablo (behind him) is the alpha, she was content to let him go first. Abby is Diablo's pal and can go where Diablo goes, but she did not want to go past her as she knew that Trouble would chase her off. And since that lane is narrow, she chose to wait. As for Hokey, he's so happy go lucky, he doesn't mind being last. He will often go off by himself to graze or drink. Herd order is Diablo, Trouble, Hokey, Abby, and Sultanna. Abby benefits a whole lot from being Diablo's best friend and lets Diablo chase off Trouble. But if Diablo choses not to assert herself, Abby has to wait. Complicated but there it is. :D
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