Playing Games

I was going to post about how I had to wait for the turkeys to cross the road when I left for work this morning.







Or, post about how it is finally raining.

But, no, I'm going to post about my stinker horse (not Jackson, never Jackson) -- Winston. Brett decided to bring the horses into the barn in the afternoon when the rain started to come down in a steady, earth soaking beat. Flash was standing in the oak pasture run-in shed and Jackson was outside; true to form. Brett brought them into the barn first.

He walked over to the clover pasture next. Winston came right over and sniffed Brett's hand (holding a cookie), and then whirled and ran off as Brett reached up to put the halter on his neck. Winston kept at it; coming close and running off; taking Mufasa along for the ride. Brett was wet, the footing was muddy and slick, and he was worried about them slipping and straining something. Not to mention destroying the "clover" pasture. Brett stomped off into the barn and fed Jackson and Flash some hay. Winston watched from the pasture gate.

Afterwards, Brett walked back and tried again to halter Winston -- or Mufasa. No luck. Same game. Brett went back to the barn and worked on fixing the broken axle on the muck cart. Later, he tried again. Same game. Brett went to the house, took off his boots, and sent me a text; a very angry text. I replied that I would put Winston in the barn when I got home from work.  Brett was upset as well, that Winston was keeping him from getting close to Mufasa.

At 6:30 we trudged back out to the barn, grabbed halters and cookies, and then made our way in the pitch black rain to the pasture. We could hardly see where we were going. Winston came right up to me as usual. He reached his face to the halter, took a sniff, ...whirled and took off. What the ??!! A few minutes later, he came trotting back. No way, I said. Get away from me. I don't want you. Shoo.

He approached again, head low, licking his lips submissively. I showed him the cookie; stepped next to his head and... he slid backwards and away. Shoo! Shoo!Shoo!Shoo! Go away. I said.

I was getting wet, not to mention irritated. I sensed Mufasa wasn't enjoying the game as much as Winston so Brett came in and haltered his horse. Totally backwards. We normally have to halter Winston first so he doesn't herd Mufasa away. Not this time. Mufasa was done with Winston's game.

As soon as Brett and Mufasa walked through the pasture gate towards the barn, my very wet Winston jammed his head into the halter. He was so anxious to get it on his face that the throat latch twisted and it took a minute to latch. He danced around. He couldn't wait to be in the barn. Being alone in the pasture was not his idea of how the game would end.

hehehe

After this storm, we are going to mix up the horses a bit. Brett thinks Winston needs to spend some time with Flash. I couldn't agree more. Flash doesn't tolerate insubordination. Mufasa and Jackson will hang out together in the oak pasture while Winston is at reform school.