Lucy and Pistol: BFF

We have been alternating putting the boys one day and the mares the next in the upper pasture.  Today, it was a mare day.

Things were pretty peaceful until I got home from work.  I came out of the house in my jeans and sweatshirt to help with chores, and went to the barn to check on Jackson.  The swelling is completely gone but he is still a bit gimpy on his front.  Normal Jackson gimpy.  As I talked to Jackson, I heard the thunder of hooves coming from beyond the dressage court.  Looking up, I could see clouds of dust.  What the heck?  Lucy and Pistol were running the fence line at top speed.  A minute later, Mufasa started doing laps in the boys' pasture.  Even Flash was trotting around.  The only sane horse was Jackson, quietly eating his hay.

The mares saw me walking up towards them and picked up the pace.  Racing to the corner, throwing their heads over the fence, snorting, turning and launching back down the fence line, a sharp u-turn at the stream (I thought Lucy was going to slide in at one point) and back to the gate for another snort.  Lordy, they spend the day in a green grassy pasture and at dinner time they go crazy for ... what?  Hay?

I led Lucy down first.  Fortunately, she didn't prance too much.  I latched the gate and started walking her back, she gave a good snort and tried stretching her neck up high.  I stopped (she's required to stop when I stop) and she missed it.  I gave the lead rope a sharp tug.  Ahem!  She stopped, looked at me, and dropped her head meekly.  She walked the rest of the way to the mare pasture perfectly -- reeking of horse sweat.  Pistol was well behaved when it was her turn to walk down.  Usually, I walk them together but not tonight.  There was too much crazy antics for me to feel that was a good idea.

I did see the most beautiful trot ever from Lucy as she raced around.  That mare can cover ground.  It was a huge trot, extended, with lots of air time.  I'd never be able to sit it; not in a million years.  But, it was breath taking to watch.