Horses Have a 'Hay'day

Two Haflingers are staring at me as I type this entry. They are in their paddock, but I can see them from the kitchen table. I can feel their luminous, soft, dark eyes boring into my soul. They are trying to channel into my mind. They may even be chanting.... "Ouuuutttt. We want to go ouuutttt!" But they are telepathetic - it is not working!

On any given morning, I hop out of bed (yes, I am one of those people who come up to speed very quickly upon opening my eyes) grab some clothes, run a brush through the hair, and head to the barn to let the boys out for a morning nibble. This morning was no different until I was stopped in my tracks on the way to the door.... uh oh, this isn't right. From the window I can see two contented ponies standing in the corner of the back yard. Yes... they are so contented they are just standing there. Oops, only one is standing. Doc is napping and Pippin is standing guard. By the time I make it to the door (and gosh darn, I didn't grab the camera) they are both napping, nose to tail.

Like guilty kids, they both stand as soon as they see me, blinking their large eyes at me, trying to pretend that all is right with the world and it's OK for them to be relaxing in the back yard at 6:30 AM. Our back yard is fenced and they actually have been 'mowing the lawn' for us for an hour or so each morning, so this isn't really unknown or forbidden territory, it's just the timing that is all wrong. And, judging from their behavior (standing... not eating voraciously) and the dearth of poop piles in the paddock,  they have been 'mowing the lawn' for a number of hours!

I walk toward the paddock and two contrite ponies follow in line, heads down as they march back to confinement a water source. Doc stops at the gate to ask me for a treat... unh uh, not this time, Doc! "But," says Doc, "we've been working hard all night to get your grass mowed just right!  We wanted to surprise you! That should deserve a treat!"

I let them in through the gate (which had swung shut after the escape) where apparently I did not secure the snap hook that keeps the slide latch shut securely.  I am guilty!

Pippin and Doc have given up on staring at me.

 We didn't want to go out and eat, anyway.

I'm pooped! It's been a long night!

Me too!
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