two horses side by side

two horses side by side

in the shelter of an old oak

tails to the cold wind

The miniature black horse still inhabits the little pasture, but the population of other four-leggeds has changed once more. All summer and fall, he shared the pasture with two American Standards, a pinto pony and a donkey. When they arrived, I was so happy for him after being alone all winter. But the big horses seemed to ignore him -- or was he ignoring them? I couldn't tell. The donkey sometimes tried to play with him, but he didn't rise up on his little hind legs and spar back. At the beginning of winter, I feared he would be left completely alone again. Since horses are herd animals, it seemed to me that aloof company would be better than no company.

So when I didn't see the two big horses anymore, I scanned the pasture. No donkey. Ah, but there's the pinto pony! Cocoa Bean and Pinto Bean, I call them. At first they didn't seem to graze very close to each other, but gradually, they drew closer and closer.

Then one cold, windy January day, I find them standing side by side, in the shelter of the long corrugated limbs of an old oak, tails to the wind. Happiness is a friend in bad weather.