SWEETS

Horses are by nature herd animals; they don't fare all that well on their own.

And my poor horse, Najale, has been all on his lonesome for almost a year and a half now.

Enter Sweets, or Sweet Lady Grey (her full name).

Najale dances and squeals and gallops and races around, incredibly excited by the presence of another equine.





I put them in adjoining pens for a few hours until the fireworks peter out, and then let them formally meet.

A few more squeals - a couple well-placed kicks from each one - soon they are grazing together in harmony.









Looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

PART OF MY HEART IS MISSING

For the past two and a half years, I have had an additional six horses:

Triple A, Jo, Rachael, Sammy, Rue and Renegade, in addition to my own two, Najale and Sally.

I had Sally put down a couple of years ago, and Triple A died unexpectedly a few months afterwards.

Now I just have Najale.

I had been planning on keeping Renegade even when the owner took the other horses back, but doesn't seem like that was in her plans.

Horses are herd animals, and their social instinct is strong - it's one of the ways they can survive in the wild.

So Najale is not doing all that well on his own - he's bored, and lonely.

I guess I'm looking for an equine companion now.