So Soonie got scolded last night. I stopped in to do a quick check and pick his feet. I try to keep the visits short and to the point if he's in and eating so as not to be completely annoying (I hate it when people bother me when I eat!). He was in his stall munching on his pre-grain pile of hay, and when I went to say goodnight:
...he pinned his ears and took a little nip of my sleeve. Seriously, teeth barely contacted jacket, it's not like I got mauled. But I still don't take shit from horses, and they most certainly do not tell me when or where to go. So I reacted with:
...and inherited his hay rack while he stood in the opposite corner. Raised voice, stepped into his space, took it over, and made it incredibly clear through my body language that he done f*cked up. My hay rack now, sorry man. I moved his feet a little more and then let him sit there to think about it for a minute. I turned around and gave him some space as I wanted to see if he'd come to me or go for the hay. When he went for the hay, the process repeated, and I let it soak in again. And when I finally stepped back, he was at my shoulder like a good boy. He got the point. It was his way of saying:
I had to coax him back to his hay because he didn't believe me when I told him to go back to eating, LOL. I forgave him with a laugh, gave him a kiss goodnight, and went home.
So fast forward to this afternoon when I came out to ride. Bubba had his feet done, so he was hanging in his stall already. I greeted him and it was like old Snuggly Soonie from this summer was back. He hasn't been as snuggly for awhile now because he's outside in the big herd all day, and by the time he gets inside he's all about his hay (and cribbing). So there's less interest and time when I roll up to be all lovey (but he has time to crib). But not today! By the time I got to his stall he was standing by the door with his ears up and looking adorable, and he WOULD. NOT. LEAVE my side the entire time I was in with him. There was plenty of hay in his rack, but he just stood there patiently waiting, wanting to have his ears and face rubbed. He hasn't stood there and demanded that in weeks. It was weird. Awesome, but weird.
So the ride went well, just another great flat school for the Sooners, and when we got back in the stall it was the same stuff. Wouldn't eat his hay, would only stand with me. It was enough for me to look him over for colic signs, seriously. Convinced he was ok and just sucking up, I went back to my grooming and kind of laughing at how hard he was trying to be affectionate and say that he was sorry. One of my fellow boarders had a laugh too, he cracks everyone up with his irresistible cuteness. I try not to project human emotions on to animals because it's stupid, but it really, really was obvious he was being apologetic for yesterday. It was almost pathetic. And hilarious. And probably the cutest thing I have ever experienced.
He went all out and even wanted me to scratch his neck and withers, and got all kinds of turned inside out when I did so. I love itchy horses, they're fun. I was shocked when he even finally leaned down and started nuzzling my leg to return the favor. He did that for a couple weeks when he first showed up, but this is the first time in awhile that he broke out his secret weapon. Cuteness level: off the charts. My arms burned and felt like they were going to fall off because of how hard I was scratching him, but I couldn't stop because he was nuzzling me and it was literally the most painfully adorable wonderful lovey thing in the world.
And of course his cuteness is just completely not fair and I can't help but just melt:
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| Being cute and patient and overly polite and napping right before our ride :) |
I love him. <3 LOVE.
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