Relative Something

Yesterday afternoon, Cyndie found the horses in the right mood to have their manes combed out right after they finished their servings of feed. That doesn’t happen all that often, so she stayed engaged with them and ultimately spent time with each mare.

Swings’ bangs usually cover her eyes because of the way they fall forward and grow so long. When I looked up, I found that Cyndie had combed the bangs up and back and hooked them behind Swings’ ear.

I hardly recognized her! It made me laugh out loud, though I was quick to assure Swings that it was a great look for her. She didn’t appear convinced.

A swift shake of her head poofed the mane bangs loose again, but they didn’t immediately lay back down over her eyes.

The different look takes years off her appearance. Swings carries herself impressively well for a 31-year-old horse.

It was a treat to watch all the horses be so soothed by Cyndie’s attention to their manes, and particularly with the repeated stroking of their bangs. It’s a mystery to me why they would suddenly show such obvious appreciation for this kind of care when their norm is to object to our requests to groom them.

It occurs to me as I write this that my sense of the passage of time might need to be extended for them. They may be gradually growing more accepting of our grooming attention, but at a pace much slower than seemed logical from my perspective. Years instead of weeks or months.

We’ve waited this long; I’m okay with letting them choose how much longer it will take for them to feel ready to regularly accept more hands-on attention from us.

This week, back-combing their bangs. Maybe next week, brushing out all their tails?

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