Lindsay's Story 8

We had been playing this dance so to speak in the circular pen for about 20 minutes or so. Mary would step in front of my shoulder and I would change direction. She would look at my hip and it would send me more forward, then when she melted her body and looked at the ground, I melted mine to mirror hers and slowed my speed, licking and chewing each time I relaxed a bit more and understood Mary's movements. So far when I changed direction Mary would step forward, moving her body in front of my shoulder, but remaining the same distance from me. I would respond by turning away from her and into the fence to head the other way.





The next time it was different though, I was tracking right, at a relaxed trot, Mary slowly stepped back away from me as she stepped in front of my shoulder at the same time. By this point, I had grown accustomed to Mary remaining the same distance from me, so I felt my body drifting towards hers. Almost as if an invisible line connected us. I found myself moving in, away from the rail to to fill the space so that we remained the same distance apart. At the same time she had stepped a bit in front of my shoulder, so naturally my speed had slowed and I had prepared to change direction. But this time I found myself turning to face her, rather than turning away from her as I had been. I was very comfortable with this, it felt normal and made sense to me. She was on my right side and I was beginning to like her there.



But then a scary thing happened. In a split second Mary moved. She had been in my right eye and just as I was growing comfortable with her there and even moving in on my own free will to keep her there she disappeared! No longer was she in my right eye and before I had a chance to do anything, BAM she was there in my left eye! I was not nearly as comfortable having her there in my left, especially facing her like this and being away from the rail that I had been hugging so tight. I jetted off away from her, back to the perimeter of the pen, now tracking left as we had just changed direction. It was a bit unsettling at first, to have her appear out of nowhere in the vision of my left eye like that. It must of happened as I changed direction, must have been when I turned to face her. Yes, that was it, Mary had disappeared out of my right eye's vision and appeared in the vision of my left. It happened as I had changed my direction by turning in to face her. Whew, that was a lot to digest. I was happy to be back on the rail and was more relieved when Mary drifted her gaze back to the round pen floor and I softened my body and slowed my gaits as I dropped my head and licked and chewed. Sweet relief.





We were now tracking left and Mary again stepped away from me as she simultaneously stepped in front of my shoulder. I imagine she was hoping for the response she got from me when she was on my right side and I had magneted in towards the middle of the pen. But, no such luck for her. We were now tracking left and Mary was in my left eye, along with all those other two leggeds that were ingrained in my left eye's memory. As I said, we Mustangs never forget. I did change direction, but I turned into the rail and away from Mary to do so. What was really comforting though was this put Mary back in my right eye. Oh, how I was really starting to like her there! She once again stepped away from me as she also stepped in front of my shoulder. I remembered this move from before, I had enjoyed coming in off the rail to remain the same distance from Mary as she had stepped away. I was happy to do it again and I allowed my body to freely curve towards the center of the pen. As I was drifting towards Mary to keep our invisible line the same length I noticed she drifted even further away from me. As she did, I felt my body continue to draw closer, I really felt comfort in having her at this same distance from me and as she drew away I could not help but fill the space to keep us the same distance apart. Mary drifted all the way to the opposite side of the pen and I found myself facing her. My body was not exactly square and lined up with hers, but slightly cocked to the side. This way my right eye could take her in and my left knew nothing of it. I stood and watched as Mary stood quietly on the rail. She let her eyes drift to the floor and her body melted. I sighed and licked and chewed as I stood and watched her quietly. The relaxation my body and mind experienced was so satisfying. I just stood and savored the moment.





We stood there for at least a few minutes and I watched Mary the whole time. Then, out of nowhere, she moved! It startled me at first and my body rose ridged, but I did not flee this time, I watched. She slowly stepped to my right, staying the same distance from me, but moving parallel to me just a few feet. My gaze followed her and I felt my head and neck turn to face her. Again she stood still. Then she slowly stepped back to where she had been and I willingly followed her with my eyes and face, licking and chewing once again. She never stepped towards my left, which was a wise decision as I guarantee you I would have shot off as soon as she appeared in that eye, no she remained in my right eye and I was thankful for that.





She continued to walk a few steps over to my right and I continued to follow her with my eyes and face. She again would step back to her original spot and I would follow her back with my gaze. She did this for quite some time. After a while it even got a bit boring. I mean I know she's a two legged and all and typically I am very cautious as to what one of those is about to do. So I typically watch them intently, but I was becoming so at ease with her movements I began to feel it wasn't as necessary to follow her every move with my attention. So the next time she stepped to the side I did not follow her with my eyes, as a matter of fact I turned my face and looked at one of the horses beside me eating hay. As soon as I let my eyes wander I heard a sharp snap from Mary! I shot my head back around lining up my eyes with hers dead on. She was acting like the boss mare in my old herd did....I guess I'd better keep my attention on her.



Back in White Mountain, Wyoming my herd had a leader. She was an older mare and had been out in the wild all of her life. She was our "Boss Mare" The lay of the land was engraved in her mind and she had many experiences embedded in her memory. She was very intelligent and well educated. We all looked to her for guidance. She was highly respected among us all, even the herd Stallion, my sire. He even respected her and would move out of the way to allow her to pass if she so wished. We watched her at all times, each one of us always remained within eyesight of her. When we had grazed a certain area long enough that it's resources were depleted it was her, the Boss Mare that made the decision to move on. All she had to do was start moving, heading in the direction she felt we should go. We all would move along with her. It was as if this imaginary line connected us to her. We wanted to remain within this safe distance from her. When we were within that distance we knew we were safe.





As I stood at attention, watching Mary intently she slowly took another step laterally to my right. She went further this time than before. I tried to follow her with my eyes and face, but my head can only turn so far. I stood for a while like that, with my neck circled around to the side so that I could give Mary my full attention. Each time I tried to look away from her those sharp snaps started again and I would immediately look back at her once again with certainty. As long as I faced her there were no sharps snaps, only Mary. She would talk sometimes, it sounded like babbles and the words did not really matter nor make sense, but her tone did. I loved that it was rhythmical and soft. I found peace in it's consistency. The consistency of this sing songy voice, humming the same rhythm over and over again. I couldn't help but want to mirror that rhythm with my own. It was peaceful.





So after standing quite some time with my neck circled around to the side in order to follow Mary's gaze, I decided it would be easier to let my feet follow as well. So I slowly stepped to the side so that my body was aligned with Mary's as it had been before. Facing her once again, but careful not to let my left eye know. It was so comforting to watch Mary with my right eye, no need to mess things up by letting lefty in on it.





I could see Mary smile, she continued to babble in that rhythmic tone and I licked and chewed. I even dropped my hip to let my right leg rest. This was a safe place to be, I figured I might as well stay here a while.