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December 6, 2020: Listen to Your Animals

To some, the premise that animals have something to tell us seems non-sensical. They are, these individuals feel, lower life forms. We humans, who are on the top of the hierarchical heap, are the ones who should be making and enforcing the rules.

This is why animal/human co-existence is often so difficult.

I have kept it quiet, that my animals do communicate their thoughts, ideas, desires, and insights to me. Otherwise I’d be considered crazy by my human counterparts. And as we all know, the least crazy people find themselves estranged. And the most crazy people end up being institutionalized.


The horses have Alys well trained

The few who read my dispatches pretty much agree with me about most things, so I feel safe in saying that I strive for two-way communication with my animals. Sometimes I get it right, and sometimes I get it wrong. The times in which I do get it right, things go like clockwork around here. Like this morning, I first listened to Shadow, who badly wanted to push the big ball around. This, she’s been telling me, is the enrichment activity that she enjoys the most, even on days like today. It was cold and quite windy.

I next took care of the horses. I opened the far gate, and the horses got treats for hanging out, this as opposed to being pushy.

The horses then went up to the hitching post area where I’d set out some hay. They then ate quietly while as I opened Tinni’s inside gate, cleaned up the front area and enclosure, and set out some hay. I opened the front gate when I was done. Each went to their respective targets where they were given treats. After, they meandered over to where their hay was waiting.

Pete later rode Raudi and I rode Tyra. Then we took Tinni and Hrimmi for a walk on our trails. It was dusk by the time we got home, and dark by the time we finished pen cleaning.

Yes, it was yet another uneventful day.

On and off, all day, I’ve been thinking hard about Hrimmi’s request, that I allow her to paint. I am going to do this. I’m going to have to get set up for this. We’ll need an easel, canvases, brushes, and paints. I watched a video last night which was about a horse that painted. His name is Metro, and his owner is an artist. This man listened to this horse; this was quite obvious. His encouraging Metro to paint forged a bond that otherwise would not have been there.

Hrimmi and I have a bond; although, I sometimes liken her to the fifth wheel. She needs to do something special that no other horse around her can do. I think, and she thinks, that painting is it.

We have two challenges that we are going to have to deal with. The first is that she’s going to have to learn how to hold a paintbrush. The second is that I’m not an artist. Metro’s owner was able to teach him how, what, when, and where to pain. Me, I haven’t a clue as to how to go about this. But Hrimmi has spoken. She wants to paint, and I who have heard this request, am going to give her a much-needed assist.

Next: 336 12/7/20: Like Wading Through Quicksand

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