JUST BrEathe

On Monday, Paint Girl and I were supposed to run some errands, but she was feeling under the weather. This ended up being a good thing for my horse and me, as there was no rush around and I was able to go out and just hang out with my horse before I left.

I ventured out around 10:30. The morning was cold, the sky blue and the sun shining from the south.
My Boy was out in the back snacking on his breakfast scraps when I entered the pasture. I called hello to him, then headed towards his run-in shed to give it a pickin'. Luckily, he's been keeping a pretty clean home front these days.

I then went to pick out around "his tree" afterward. He stands there a lot, and therefore, he poops there a lot. I don't like him standing in his poo.

He was very interested in what I was up to and walked down to the tree from the back of the pasture.

For a while, I just stood there and watched him, letting him wonder. He finally gave up and turned away to stand in the warm sun. I finished my cleaning and put away the apple picker.

I spotted the perfect hang-out spot. One of the big exposed roots of his tree.

I headed over and took a seat.

It was such a nice morning.

You don't realize how much you absorb by just stopping. Stopping all that you are doing. Instead, using your senses and just taking in the environment around you.

I could see the soft breeze blowing his tail.

And although this picture doesn't show it like I saw it, his coat glimmered copper and those long winter hairs were shimmying in the breeze, too.

I could smell his horse breathe. I could hear it, both his breathing and his lip-smacking. I could touch his velvety nose.

There were moments when he seemed to doze off.

Then, his head would suddenly jerk towards the woods, like he had heard or was watching something.

That prey animal instinct kicked in. Always on guard, he was looking out for himself and the mares next door.

But I'd like to think he was guarding over me, too.

I sat there for a long time. I took a lot of pictures. It was hard to resist the blue sky and the interesting perspectives.



I am not usually practically under my horse. I felt safe against the tree. I really wonder what was going through his head. He probably could not figure out why I was there.

At one point, I got up to rub him a bit. I rubbed his neck and whither and shoulders.

Then I went and sat back down. And he immediately turned around towards me, which I thought was sweet. Left him wanting more!

It was a good experience to just BE.

I am usually so concerned about working with my horse. Making sure that he is caught. That he gets groomed. That his hooves are picked. That he gets exercised. This was the first time I have intentionally just "hung out." I completely tried to just be in the moment. To stop thinking about all the things I needed to do later that day or the next day or next week.

It was really nice.

I think I will try to do it more often.