Cultivating the Relationship

There aren't many things better than a really warm February afternoon with horses. Chris drove the truck into the pasture so the kids could be right there with us as he worked on finishing up the gate that will contain Promise in the temporary enclosure for foaling and for the days immediately following. Both girls mugged me when I got out, eager for touch, head scratches, and neck rubs. I soaked in a moment in the sun with one loose girl on each side. Promise wanted to oversee Chris's job working on the gate so Whisper and I had a brush out on loose lead. We had a long talk about the past and the future while my face was buried in her neck.

Promise also had a brush out, though not very thorough. Yesterday and today she was very touchy, grouchy, and generally not appreciating being handled. I did enough to care for her coat but not enough to stress her. The old coat she has from her emaciated auction house days is hard to polish up.

Playing with the girls was as good for them as it was me. Just training or going into a visit with a purpose all the time takes away from the big picture under it all - the relationship. Enjoying them for who they are (okay, maybe not so much enjoying Promise for who she was today - but at least appreciating her discomfort at this stage). It was good for all 3 of us. I tried to snap one last picture of Promise straight-on. I have a pic of her in this position from the first day we moved her and she looks so drastically different now. She has that look like she's "dropped" it may be March over April after all. As I went to take the photo, Promise was not cooperating. I have 5 shots that look like this: 

followed by a nose in my face. You'll have to take my word for it that from the front she looks like she swallowed a huge egg that turned sideways. She has this trim little shoulder area then a great rounding, poor pony looks very uncomfortable. Wish I could give her a foot massage and a pregnancy pillow.