Lost

Looks like today is the last of the nice weather. I guess it is a February thaw instead of a January thaw. Temps are supposed to be in the low 50s today but then we’ll plummet back into winter starting tomorrow. Even the robins are confused with this weather. I’ve already seen a dozen robins and it’s nowhere near the beginning of spring!

I’d pulled blankets yesterday morning and figured that it was supposed to be warm enough last night. So I decided to forgo blanketing anyone last night and having to pull blankets this morning. I was already running late this morning and the horses were anxious for their morning hay. But as I looked, I was one horse short! I counted a couple of times to make sure I hadn’t missed one but I kept coming up with nine instead of ten.

I figured out that it was Bo that I was missing. Of course, the worst thoughts come rushing through my head when I have a missing horse (yes, we occasionally have a missing horse but only because he’s not with the rest of the herd). After throwing hay out for everyone, I decided that I’d better go and look for Bo. It’s not like he would jump the fence or someone would steal him. The herd was calm so I knew he had to be close by. My worry was that he’d hurt himself and was down or caught up in something. I’d called for Bo a couple of times but never got a response.

Luckily we have mostly a full moon so I wouldn’t trip over snow piles and hoof prints divots in the snow. I made it out to the pasture. I didn’t have to go far to see the black against the skyline. There Bo was, doing a little bit of grazing out in the pasture. I have no idea why he was out in the pasture instead of near the barns waiting like the rest of them.

When Bo saw me, he came at an amble up to me and we walked back to the drylot. It was almost as if I had a halter and lead rope on him. He stayed by my side the entire way (a little closer than most horses would even walk). He kept his head right at my shoulder until we got in to the drylot and he could see the hay. It was an odd experience to not have him up with the rest and then to have him stay with me.  It’s not uncommon for the horses to walk with me or by me when we come in from pasture but to have Bo the only one out in the pasture and then not go trotting in when he knows there’s food makes me wonder what type of argument Bo had with the rest of the herd.

I really figured that Bo would take off once we reached the lane from the pasture to the drylot but he kept walking. That desire to walk with me instead of past me is an amazing feeling. I wish that I would have been able to mess around with Bo more but the paying job was calling (well, not literally).  But Bo’s willingness to walk with me back to the barns instead of running ahead made me realize that he too is one of my heart horses. I believe I am blessed to have him in my life and as a part of the Sanctuary.