Maya and Kyra have settled in with the herd and I can spend so much time watching the dynamics. It's just fascinating to me. Watching Kyra get more comfortable with the big horses has been a joy. She initiated play with Morado which he thought would be fun and reciprocated.  Then she got frightened and had to run to the other side of Maya!

Over the past few days I've seen some of the horses want to groom her on her back and she's not so comfortable with that yet. To my surprise she turned around and pinned her ears at Morado as to say, "keep your distance" and he moved away.  Ringo can't keep his nose off of her and she allows him to sniff her. While I was watching this he proceeded to grab a few hairs of her tail and play with it. She stood there and allowed it until he got bored with her. Who knows what they do when I'm not there though. They probably run around and play and have a party. I need a pony cam to see who pulls the blankets off the rack, rearranges the brush boxes and halters that are in the arena. 

One of the most interesting parts of the dynamics is what Adelantado is doing. He drives Maya and Kyra around alot. Not chasing, not even very fast, just slow, consistent pressure.  He moves them into the arena, out of the arena, around the manure pile, through the gate, to the round bale, back through the gate, back to the arena and on and on. Then he was cutting Kyra away from Maya and Kyra kept going back to the other side of her mommy.  He was trying to get in between the two of them but she's so little and just scoots around behind Maya. He must not have been too serious about it because he eventually just stood there and guarded them.  Maya  looks annoyed by the whole thing. I figure there is a lesson in it for Kyra or Adelantado wouldn't be doing it. He's a socially very well adjusted herd member so I'll let him do what he's supposed to do. I trust he knows what he's doing. He's fair. And who am I to judge what's fair in the horse kingdom? It's only my perspective through human eyes and emotions.

The horse family that l am so fortunate to study is one of the best parts of my day. It makes me better with horses. When I can come even close to matching the clarity of their communication skills I have a chance to be better in all my relationships with humans, too.  As I've said so many times, "I want to be more like my horse". 

Photo credit: MaryAnne Machis