When Val is not around...

Hi Everyone.

Harley here.

Val is not feeling well.  She did come to see me this week, because it was my birthday, but I could tell that she wasn't herself.  She would only whisper to me.  Something about losing her voice.  Luckily, I do not care if she can talk or not.  I read her mind without too much trouble.  I took Val for a nice ride even though she was not feeling 100%.  She said that we would only walk, but I knew that she did not mean that.  We trotted!  We cantered!  We half-passed!  It was lots of fun and a good birthday for me.  I got lots of grass-time afterward, but now Val is feeling worse, so I have not seen her for a few days.  Hopefully, she will visit me soon.  I do miss her on the days when she does not make it out here.

Luckily, I am good at staying busy.

Everyone says that I have my nose in everything and they are most certainly correct.  When I am eating my dinner, I like to watch the barn owners filling the water buckets and putting hay in the other horses' stalls.  They tell me to keep eating, but I can eat and watch at the same time, so I keep watching.  And eating, because I really like eating, too.

My nose.

Cisco's mommy comes to visit him quite often.  I really like her.  Cisco is not super helpful, so he hangs back and waits for his mommy to come get him.  I have to be extra friendly to make up for this.  I walk up to Cisco's mommy and we play a game.  She hides behind the big pine tree.  I know she is there, so I peek around the tree to find her.  I can tell that she likes this, because she tells me that I am cute and then hides again.  I am really good at this game.  I can find her every time.  I could play this game for hours, but, eventually, she wants to get Cisco, so she tells me to "back up".  I back up like a gentleman.  Sometimes I wonder if she might let me come along, too, but she always tells me to "stand" so that means that I have to wait.  I usually yell from my paddock for a while just in case she changes her mind.  I do not want her to forget that I am still thinking about our game and the nice grass outside my paddock.

Me eating AND watching.  Notice my pony neighbor who buries his face in his bucket.

I like to watch Cisco and his mommy do groundwork and ride together.  I also like to watch the barn owner give lessons.  I learn a lot by watching.  I learn that some horses do not like to canter as much as me.  I also learn that some horses like to turn when their rider does not expect it.  I wonder why they do not just read their rider's mind?  Maybe they are trying, but it is difficult.  Sometimes the barn owner asks me what I think about the lesson.  I try to tell her telepathically or I just nod my head.  Humans like that.  They also like it when I stick my lip in the air.

After he is done working, Cisco comes back and I greet him by arching my neck and sniffing noses.  Sometimes he temporarily forgets the rules.  He likes to test me.  He knows that I get first pick of the hay, but sometimes he just has to test.  I chase him away pretty good.  His mommy likes this because she says that I exercise him.  I always let him come back, though, because he is my best friend.

There are little green grasses growing in my paddock right now.  I like to nibble the little green shoots and nose though the pine needles.  I can do this for hours.  Sometimes, I feel like taking a nap.  The sandy ground is perfect for napping and so is the sun.  We have had some nice sunny days lately.  They are great for naps.  Cisco and I took a nap together in the sun.  We laid near each other in mirror image formation.  I have seen mirrors before in an indoor ring, so I know what mirror images are.  Val saw us napping and wanted to take a picture (I read her mind), but I heard her so I woke up and was standing by the time she returned with a camera.  I do not want to nap when Val is around.  I might miss something!

Val and I hope you have a good April's funny day.
My recommendations are to eat, sleep, play, watch, and hang out with your friends. 
If you are gray, go lay in the mud, too.  Cisco is part gray and likes to do that. 
As for me, I prefer just being nosy.