Horses Have Fun

I left the main roads behind and took the quiet country roads back home.

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There were alpacas in one field and just along the road there were horses... not just any old horses - these were sleek and handsome dressage horses, well wrapped against the cold of the day in their smart coats.

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Big, small, sleek, or rough, I love horses ... although I must confess a particular fondness for 'cart' horses, heavy horses, and rough ponies.

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What caught my eye this afternoon was a group of three horses. They were by themselves, in a large paddock on the hill, this was a horse to horse moment. Two were standing watching, while one appeared to be performing, as though in the dressage ring.

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I watched them for a while, then drove on, pondering on the question of whether horses play and have fun, or do they worry about things.

Was the 'performing' horse running through a particularly tricky exercise, trying to get it right?

Was it showing the others a manoeuvre it really enjoys doing?

Or could it simply have been having fun or showing off? I'd love to think so.

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Before I knew it I was back home and there were groceries to unload, logs to be fetched, hens needing a hot mash, and a sick husband to tend.

Back to the real world.

I took Toby to visit our neighbour, Arnold. A sweet old horse, enjoying his retirement. He knows how to have fun.