Photo by Audrey Pavia
Nigel had the unfortunate experience of being stomped on by Rio .
It was an ordinary morning : My alarm hold out off at 6:30 and I ignored it for half an hour before getting out of seam . Then , partly comatose , I staggered around the sleeping accommodation , putting on my robe and looking for my slippers .
Still not fully alive , I go out the back door to course the horse , with Nigel follow close behind . alternatively of image my minor ruck in their paddock staring at me as they do most mornings , I determine Rio on the back lawn , munching away . Only gently surprised that he had gotten out of his stall at some point during the nighttime , I shuffled off to my tack room to get a halter so I could catch him .
As soon as I got to the back gate that led to the tacking shed , Rio spied Nigel sit on the patio . He left the lawn and walked over to my corgi with his neck arched and ears pricked . Nigel did n’t move , but just cowered as Rio support over him . Then , to my repulsion , Rio struck out at Nigel with his front hoof .
I have never been so panic-struck in my life ! Nigel yet out a yelp and a snarl and jumped at Rio in ego - defense . I was screaming at the top of my lungs while running toward them . If Rio run into again and his hoof landed in the right spot , Nigel could be dead in a issue of secondment .
Fortunately , rather of launch another strike , Rio toss out his head and trotted off . I be given to Nigel , who was looking at me with the most wretched locution he ’d ever give . I ran my hands over his back where Rio had land his bump ; fortunately , Nigel did n’t seem to be hurt . I need him to jog alongside me across the terrace , and he was n’t favor any of his legs . I was so sticking I could have exclaim . I put him back in the house and again conk toward the tack shed to get a halter so I could catch Rio .
Although it may be hard to consider after translate this story , Rio does n’t have a mean bone in his trunk . To him , everything is romp . He ’s like a giant star kitty , hear to turn everything into a game . When the chickens wander into his stall , he chases them . Not because he wants to offend them , but because it ’s just fun to watch them go .
I ’m certain Rio ’s ten-strike at Nigel was not intended to hurt him . I have see horses act with aggression toward andiron and other animate being , and their purport to hurt is obvious . This was more of a “ Hey , allow ’s play ! ” Of naturally , Rio has no cue that he weighs 600 - plus pounds and could annihilate a 30 - pound Welsh corgi with one blow of the hoof .
Even though it ’s fun to have a pony around , I really ca n’t wait ‘ til my precious small gelding matures into a boring grownup .
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