willsana
10-05-2004, 09:47 PM
For the passed week I have been house/barn sitting for my sister while she has been out of town. (Her new horse traveled from Germany to New York and she went to get him and trailer him home.) There are 7 horses currently in her barn. One of them is my old pal Reno. He is the son of a mare we got when I was a teenager. So I have know the old guy his whole life. He is pushing 30 years old now. And is thoroughly enjoying his role of "Old Man" :D
He has been having trouble maintaining his weight for years now. So at night he has to be put up in a stall with piles of special food and hay. Now you would think a horse would love this...but Reno would rather stay out with his younger (all over 20) pals. He is the leader of the group of 4, counting himself, seniors and takes his job seriously. Some evenings he will try his darnedest to NOT go in that stall. Tonight was one of those nights. He would not come up to the gate to put his halter on. I knew better than to chase him. That is the game he was hoping for. So I waited. He paced. I waited. He paced. I got bored and tired of standing around so I pulled the mounting block out and set it by the tree and sat myself down. I could hear Reno pacing behind me. Then he would stop and think. Pace a bit. Stop and think. It got darker and darker. And still I sat and still he paced. After a while I heard him slowly walk up behind me. I could hear his breath and knew his nose was only inches from my shoulder. I ignored him. I sat with my chin on my hand and watched the leaves swaying in the breeze. (It was a very nice evening. :) ) Reno walked away. A few minutes later I hear him "sneaking" back to my shoulder. Then ever so slight I feel his nose touch my shoulder. Then his lips tug at my shirt up and down the center of my back. I was trying so hard not to laugh. I was still "ignoring".
I casually sat back a bit and turned my head toward him and said "Would you like to go in now?" He stepped forward so his head was even with mine. I kissed his cheek and stood up and put his halter on and we went through the gate and into the barn.
ANNIE wins the stand-off! I love that Old Man. :luvlove:
He has been having trouble maintaining his weight for years now. So at night he has to be put up in a stall with piles of special food and hay. Now you would think a horse would love this...but Reno would rather stay out with his younger (all over 20) pals. He is the leader of the group of 4, counting himself, seniors and takes his job seriously. Some evenings he will try his darnedest to NOT go in that stall. Tonight was one of those nights. He would not come up to the gate to put his halter on. I knew better than to chase him. That is the game he was hoping for. So I waited. He paced. I waited. He paced. I got bored and tired of standing around so I pulled the mounting block out and set it by the tree and sat myself down. I could hear Reno pacing behind me. Then he would stop and think. Pace a bit. Stop and think. It got darker and darker. And still I sat and still he paced. After a while I heard him slowly walk up behind me. I could hear his breath and knew his nose was only inches from my shoulder. I ignored him. I sat with my chin on my hand and watched the leaves swaying in the breeze. (It was a very nice evening. :) ) Reno walked away. A few minutes later I hear him "sneaking" back to my shoulder. Then ever so slight I feel his nose touch my shoulder. Then his lips tug at my shirt up and down the center of my back. I was trying so hard not to laugh. I was still "ignoring".
I casually sat back a bit and turned my head toward him and said "Would you like to go in now?" He stepped forward so his head was even with mine. I kissed his cheek and stood up and put his halter on and we went through the gate and into the barn.
ANNIE wins the stand-off! I love that Old Man. :luvlove: