Part 9

We stood for quite a while. Watching one another softly. I had rested my hind leg and my head hung low and relaxed. We were facing one another, but I still stayed oriented so that Mary remained in my right eye. I was becoming very relaxed with her there. She was speaking to me in a way I understood. She had not lied to me. When she led me to believe she was going to do something, like step over to my right and expect me to follow, she did just that...stepped over to my right and allowed me to follow. She did not force herself into my space, invading my comfort zone. She only stepped just as far to my right as I was comfortable. It was as if she would go to the very edge of that spot, the very edge of my comfort zone. Then she would remain there. She would be quiet and calm, just waiting patiently for that edge of my comfort zone to widen slightly and when it did she would enter it. Slowly, ever so slowly broadening it wider. She gradually would move around my right side, encouraging me to turn and face her. I appreciated her honesty. I was beginning to feel like I knew what to expect from her and that was comforting.

When two leggeds interact with us and are not conscientious of the way we speak, it is confusing. As horses, our language is primarily through our bodies. We watch each of our herd mates at all times. Always being aware of what our fellow equines are thinking and feeling by their bodies. When two leggeds surround us and ignore our primary means of communication it is well, scary. I mean one of my fellow herd mates can bless me out with nothing but the slighted shift of an ear. Imagine how it would feel to me, as a horse, when these two leggeds are giving me all these mixed signals through their body language. There can be some pretty nasty cuss words said, and I do not appreciate it. I am not even sure they realize it sometimes, the two leggeds, but we do. We always see their body language. It is All we see.

I had grown very comfortable with Mary in my right eye. She would walk circles all the way around me and I would pivot on my haunches to follow her. Crossing my front legs freely as they stepped around. Mary would circle me to my left too. I would circle faster this way. I had to be sure I stayed ahead of her to keep her in that right eye. She would try to sneak across my face and into my left eye, but I was to quick for her. I could spin much faster than she could walk around me. I heard her laugh, she said "Well aren't those some pretty reining spins" I didn't know what that meant, but it seemed to make her happy. It is funny what these two leggeds get excited about. Horses flipping over when they roll, spinning circles...yes, these are some odd folks. No doubt about that.

After a bit longer of spinning on my haunches as Mary circled me she stepped towards me and pushed me away. I took back off and was met by the circular rail again, so I followed it and around I went. Mary had pushed me to track left this time. We went around a few laps and I noticed her back away from me, as she did I felt myself filling the space to keep our invisible line the same length. This time she was in my left eye. She had to back away further than she did on my right, in order to keep me magneting in towards her, but she did just that. As she continued to step away I continued to fill the space. Before long I was facing her again. I quickly shifted my stance so she was back in my right eye. Whew, that was a close one! She chuckled as I licked and chewed with Mary safely occupying my right eye once again. After I had rested a bit she pushed me back out away and tracking left again. Again she stepped back away and I filled the space, again reverting quickly to my stance that put her in my right eye as soon as I could. I was gradually getting more comfortable with her in my left, but it no where near compared to the peace I was beginning to feel when she was on my right. We stopped and rested once again.

Mary backed away from me as she stepped slightly to my right. This time when I went to move to the side to follow her I took a step towards her as well. I saw a large smile light up on Mary's face and she mumbled those soft words again in that rhythmic voice that relaxes me. I licked and chewed as I took a deep breath and let out a sigh. With that I saw her turn to walk away.