The following conversation took place yesterday, Tinni and I were out on Pat and Ray’s trail.

Alys: Tinni, let’s pick up the pace a bit.
Tinni: Not now. We are headed uphill.
A: Best time to hoof it.
T: How about you carry me?
A: Not possible.
T: You’ve put on weight since last fall.
A: What’s another pound or two?
T: Not one or two pounds. More like ten pounds.
A: I’m still a lightweight.
T: Not really.
A: I’m also a much better rider than I was last fall.
T: Yes you are. How’d this happen?
A: I worked at it. Went far away. Got a lot of training.

T: Well, wherever you were, they fed you really well.
A: Yes they did. Karol, she was my riding teacher. She made eggplant parmesan and zucchini lasagna.
T: She was your riding teacher?
A: Yes, and also a very good cook.
T: And so you came back heavier.
A: Can we talk about something else?
T: Yes.
A: As I was saying, I learned the importance of sitting straight and having my ears, shoulders, hips, and ankles in alignment.
T: And as I was saying, you are now a heavyweight.
A: And I learned some about how to better be soft in the hand.
T: I so appreciate this.
A: Look. On the left. A moose jaw.
T: Last fall the entire carcass was right next to the trail. It stank bad.
A: Looks like the critters have taken care of that problem.
T: Speaking of such things, the critters are out.
A: It’s a bit early for this.
T: And the fiddle head ferns are appearing.
A: Pretty soon we’ll be seeing wild geraniums.
T: Why all this so early in the year?
A: We humans are screwing up the planet.
T: Yes, I understand this. You have explained this to all us horses, what’s going on.
A: These are just observations.
T: What happens if it gets too hot?
A: Drought, floods, plagues, pestilence.
T: The same ol same ol. Just like it says in the Bible.
A: How do you know about the Bible?
T: My Canadian owners used to read us horses passages.
A: And did this make you a believer?
T: No. But what is prophesied seems to be coming to be.
A: The Bible don’t say anything about the wild geraniums.
T: It’s implied.
A: Where?
T: In one of them books.
A: Not enough evidence. Time to move on.
T: I need to take a breather and rub my eyes.
A: Your right lid is looking swollen again. I’m going to put the fly mask back on when we get home.
T: Oh no! Not the fly mask!
A: Oh yes, the fly mask!
T: Don’t like fly mask. The mares think I look silly.
A: Do you care what they think?
T: Oh yes. They’re my harem.
A: You’ll only have to wear it a few more days, that is until the bugs die down. And I’m going to keep taking it off at night.
T: It’s evening, now.
A: Well, the bugs are bad at dusk.
T: Let’s head back downhill.
A: Let’s just go a few yards more.
T: Let’s not.
A: Okay. We’ll head back home.
T: Time to get a bite to eat.
A: Okay. Grub for a bit.
T: Thanks.
A: I just wanted to take a moment and thank you for being such a reliable riding horse.
T: It’s my job.
A: And it’s a job you do quite well.
T: Movement ahead. Could be a bear.
A: Look. Pete and Tyra are coming up the trail.
T: Yes, it’s them.
A: I think we’ll go back uphill with them for a ways.
T: Oh, all right.
A: Thanks old man.
T: Who are you calling old man?
A: And who are you calling heavyweight?
T: No more time for talk. I have a job to do.

Next; 137. 5/19/17: The Horse Life: Build it and They Will Come