Something To Be Said

Well, there's "something to be said" about that moment in a horse owner's life when one actually feels as if they've seen a sign of recognition in their horse's eyes, that moment when he sees you and he knows who you are and actually seems happy to see you! Many experts say it's possible and many others say it isn't but I am certain that just as our canines know us so do our equine partners.

Earlier tonight, Saturday evening, after a particularly bad day of attending to my Mother's illness, suffering with the humidity of the day as it managed to creep in, even with the air conditioners in full force and the constant comings and goings of other family members, I finally felt the need to get out of the house.  So, I loaded the canines in the car, Romeo, my Brittany and Luigi, my German Shorthair Pointer and off we went! We picked up ice water at the local Dunkin' Donuts and with a baggie full of baby carrot pieces in hand, we began the short ride to the barn.  Within moments, both dogs were curled up and asleep from the motion of the car and even after a light change of route so as to take some time to relax behind the wheel, we were there within what seemed like minutes, even though it clearly took far longer than that.

I left the dogs in the car and slowly walked down the barn's main aisle and made my way very carefully so my guy, Valie, would not hear me coming.  I took this approach with the hope that I may stumble upon him before he noticed me and boy, was I ever in for a surprise!  When I came upon his stall, there he was with his head turned toward the window and his muzzle was lifted ever-so-slightly toward the bars of the open stall window.  For several seconds I watched as he stood transfixed in his equine thoughts.  Suddenly, he turned and saw me and with that, he let out the most mournful "nicker" I've ever heard, almost as if his noticing me was so unexpected and that maybe he was so lonely for human company that it had saddened him and when he saw me, his tone was reminiscent of the truest form of joy, the feeling one gets when an unexpected visit from a loved one happens during a time that is usually spent alone.  Anyway, he rapidly approached me with his head pointed down so that I could pet that soft patch under his forelock.  Now, despite what you think, I saw, right at that moment, the look of recognition and whatever joy or happiness an equine knows, was passed on to me, the supreme benefit of equine to human interaction and it was such a pure moment, void of all the miseries of the day, just he and I communicating on some unknown level, that suddenly and without warning, I felt tears coming and a sense of relief that the tension of the day had diminished as a result of this wondrous moment; oh, how I hope that this happens again!