Something about watching a horse run…not out of fear, but just to get somewhere when the horse feels good!
Lately when I’ve been bringing Ditto and Digger out of the lower pasture for dinner in the barn, I just open the lower pasture gate and get out of the way. Snitch, of course, runs up to the gate by the barn, tossing his head and kicking and bucking; just anticipating getting into the barn with the other horses and digging into his hay and senior feed. But Digger has been the surprise. He has been rather quiet since he arrived, allowing himself to be gently and slowly led to the destination. Apparently the energy that was going into getting back to a good weight and good health is now being re-channeled.
Recently his Thoroughbred genes have been showing up as he runs up to the barn gate with the beauty and power of a much younger horse. (We guesstimate that he’s at least 30 years old.) Witnessing his exuberance and return to health makes mucking out paddocks and hauling wheel barrows full of mud laden manure, thanks to the rain we have been waiting for, more than worth it.