Last night, right about dark, Paint and Pardner were grazing up close to the house. I could hear them. The windows were open, “munch, munch, step, step”. Really, you can hear horses eating grass. it’s not as quiet as you would imagine. I went outside to say hi and give them both a pet and to check out Pard’s injured leg (it’s better). They casually look up and go back to eating. They usually hang pretty close together. I was in my “yoga” clothes, leggings, tank top, flip flops. (Yoga clothes are also “lay on the couch and watch Dancing with the Stars clothes”, you pick) I bury my face in Paints neck and smell him. I put my arm around his neck and search for that sweet spot. It is a spot that I scratch under his neck that makes him stick his nose out, close his eyes, and curl his upper lip. Then I found the #1 motherlode of all time sweet spot on his belly where I think is the horse’s belly button. I scratch it now and he drops his head, closes his eyes, stretches both lips out towards the ground. His knees go soft like they want to buckle and he lets out a big groan. It makes me laugh out loud. I wish I could get a picture of it but it is humanly impossible to scratch a horses belly button and photograph their face at the same time.
I moved over to Pardner to give him equal attention, but Paint gives him the mostly invisible psychic signal to scram. (ears pinned back, head jerks in that direction). Pard jumps sideways and Paint repositions himself for more, while nudging me with his head. Demanding “Again, Again”..Like a little kid you are pushing on a swing. Now I position myself for a double sweet spot scratch. One hand on Paint the other on Parrdner. Extremely coordinated of me I might add. Just brilliant. I’m standing in between two 1000 lb horses scratching them at the same time in my flip flops. No toes are sacrificed tonight. I quit, give them both a kiss and head back to the house. Yes I kiss my horses all the time. They follow me to the front porch, I think Paint would walk right in the front door if I let him.
I found their sweet spot and they found mine.
Love, Cowgirl Red Terah
P.S. Yes I am a little bit hillbilly, letting my horses graze in the “yard”. The “yard” is about 10 acres and also has a pond. I like to think they come up to the house to see me, but mostly I think it is to see if there is any dog food left out to eat. I like to keep them up here close because I just love to look at them out the window.
I had no idea that horses could have a sweet spot like a cat or dog! How ridiculously naive of me. I am going to sleep with a smile on my face tonight thinking about how incredibly happy and loved those animal beings feel right now.
I'd let 'em eat on my lawn too. Hell my cat is pure Appalachia. She takes a mouthful of food from her bowl and drops it all over the floor every time. She much prefers to eat food covered in dust bunnies.
Terah. I want a horse. Or I want, rather, to live next door to some generous person who lets me love on their horses without expecting me to pay for their feed.
heh.
God I love this picture in my head and yes, if I had horses they might actually walk in the front door if they could fit. Hell, If I could I'd have them snuggle in bed with me and the dogs and Michael.
another heh.