Working with Mufasa

Today was clear and cold.  We never made it out of the 40s and a cold wind blew all day long.  I wore a jacket over my hoodie, kept my hands dug deep in my pockets, and felt the sting of cold on my cheeks. 

Today's high... not very high.

Mufasa is starting to settle in.  He still isn't thrilled with being in the stall.  He comes in, grabs a mouthful of hay, walks back outside and munches it out there.  He is a long way from being comfortable enough to hang his head out into the aisle.  This is as close as he comes.

We decided to try putting the horses together out in the pasture this afternoon.  Winston is a basket case in his stall; his five year old brain just doesn't do well with confinement.  And Mufasa hates being in as well.  In the afternoon, I worked Winston a bit in the arena to take the edge off before turning them loose together.  Surprisingly, despite the wind and cold temperatures, he was very calm.  No bucks.  No racing around. 

Giving me "the look"

I turned him back into the pasture and Brett got Mufasa out.  They played in the arena, did some free lunging and some ground work. 

I love his red dorsal stripe.  Can you see it running down the middle of his back?

Mufasa has beautiful ground manners.  And his gaits aren't shabby either.  Brett is going to ride him tomorrow and I've already asked if I can hop on him as well.  He looks like he'd be a blast to ride.

When they finished playing and bonding...

 Brett turned Mufasa out in the pasture with Winston and the donkeys.  Initially, they ignored each other and then there was a brief episode of cantering around.  Winston is hell bent on dominating Mufasa so he wouldn't let Mufasa near the barn end of the pasture.  Mufasa stood at the bottom, near the pond, looking submissive and forlorn. 

An hour or so later, we let Flash out with the other two.  Jackson was wagging his head around in his paddock, trying to get his opinion heard.  They ignored him.  When Brett fed tonight, he put a bin down at the far end for Mufasa.  Hopefully, they will all be friends by the morning.  Flash is a mellow alpha so we're hoping he tells Winston to get over himself. 

Braised lamb shanks and parmesan polenta for dinner.  Wood fire blazing.  Cold, cold night on tap.