Games People Play:

Hey, I'm a horse! I need to run!

While waiting for the rest of Kanani's tack to arrive, we have been playing games. The games are designed to let my big boy know that I am indeed his new "herd leader" and he can trust me. He has been a very willing participant. However, the day before yesterday, he let me know that he had had enough of this game-playing-- it was time to gallop and run. I played one last "back-up half the arena game" before I turned him loose because, after all, it's not HIS decision which games we play and when: It's the herd leader's. (That's ME.)

However, I am a benevolent leader, so I do take his "needs" into consideration. Two laps around the arena and he came right back to me, as if to say, "Well, I got to gallop around so now I'm ready to play games again."

Yesterday, I turned him loose to run BEFORE we played any games and all he did was follow me around. I played with the big scary whip with the long white rope lash--twirling it over my head, whipping to the left and to the right, swinging it around my head like a drunken cowboy with a lasso. I paid no attention to Kanani and what his reaction to "this crazy human behavior" might be.

With my back to him, I beat on a barrel and lashed this way and that. (The idea is to let him know that my long scary whip is no big deal. Wait til I tie an even scarier white plastic bag to the end of it!)

Then I felt a warm breath on my neck. I turned around and there he was--faithfully following me and watching me act like a lunatic. No matter where I went or what I did, he followed. No leadline, no bridle. Nada. Now, I am not sure if he is following me--or the carrots in my pocket. But I can tell you that there is plenty of tasty grass growing at the edges of this huge fenced arena. If he were like any other horse I have known, he would have been busy checking out the grass within easy reach, not following me.

Every day with this guy is a new adventure! I know horses pretty darn well after so many years with them, but every horse is a little bit different and with this guy, I never quite know what to expect! But then I never had a Friesian before, either.