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Category Archives: horses
On Not Riding
At a writing workshop I attended back in 1998, our instructor, Marita Golden, urged vigilance against opening a door in an essay if we didn’t intend to lead readers through it at some point. In other words, don’t distract your … Continue reading
Posted in animal communication, horses, writing
Tagged Chekhov’s gun, dressage, horseback riding, horses, Marita Golden, writing advice
7 Comments
Pets
For a whole bunch of different reasons, we do not have housepets. Actually, in the case of cats, there’s one very good reason, which is that Doug is highly allergic, even though he likes cats and they universally adore him. … Continue reading
Winter Pasture
There’s a distinct pleasure in being able to make someone else happy. Sometimes their pleasure persists even as your own memories of the effort involved in said happy-making fade, tipping the scales of your satisfaction even further toward the positive. … Continue reading
Posted in animal communication, horses, winter
Tagged Colorado, feeding horses, horses, winter
6 Comments
Thought About
I thought about writing about these fall days: the glossy blue skies, the serene air, the landscape golden and splashed with umber and gilt. The temperature hovers in that curious cool-mild zone, so you go out wearing a jacket but … Continue reading
Posted in animal communication, birds, fall, gardening, horses, procrastination
Tagged Colorado autumn, fall foliage, horses, juncos, late season gardening
11 Comments
Jake
My little red horse Moondo has delicate skin, which makes him an attractive target for flies and parasites. This winter, he fell victim to a double-barren infestation: lice and ticks (technical term: Yuck and Double Yuck). The lice have proven … Continue reading
Complicated Horses
“Uncomplicated” is used in some districts of the equine universe as a polite euphemism for a horse that’s not so smart. For better and for worse, both of our horses are complicated. Moondo is nerdy, curious, and friendly. He’s sensitive, … Continue reading
Still Learning from Horses
Moondo, my little red horse, is a complicated character. I wrote about his personality and opinions in the “Horse Lessons” chapter of Between Urban and Wild the book. A number of years have passed since then, and I can report … Continue reading
Posted in animal communication, horses, observation
Tagged animal communication, equine communication, horse behavior
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Moondo’s Project
Moondo, my little bay horse, is the most opinionated equine I’ve ever met. This isn’t to say that he’s mean or obstinate or flighty, just that he has strong ideas about how his universe should operate. Ego and a dainty … Continue reading
Posted in animal communication, horses
Tagged horse behavior, Moondo
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Dusk
A couple of weeks back, after about a half-inch of snow had fallen overnight, Doug came back inside from feeding the horses their morning hay with a report: “Ummm, I’m pretty sure there are cat tracks on the driveway,” he … Continue reading
Posted in horses, humans and wildlife, observation, predators, wildlife encounters
Tagged animal tracks, mountain lions
1 Comment
