Back from the light, into the night
Amazing how early it is dark here. After the change in summertime to wintertime it’s almost dark when I finish work. I keep an eye on this ‘calendar’ here to see when the days get longer and the nights will be shorter again, but for now it’s still waiting until the Weihnachten are there. One month and a bit and then we can enjoy looking out for the time the days lengthen again.
This afternoon I went to the stable where my mare Sharmenta and her foal Muratah are; the sun was already very low at the horizon. As all the things I had to do were already done, I decided to grab the 2 and walk to school to pickup my 6y old son.
It was actually the first time he was “online”, with halter and a long leadrope, and I was so stubborn to jump on Sharmenta to see if we could trot along a bit faster. Muratah, typical arab, didn’t want to follow the lead as he didn’t know where he was going to. Also he wanted to explore where he was, wanted to see what was all around him, and also wanted to know where his ‘aunt’ cheyenne disappeared to. All together not a good moment to let him walk free, I am sure he would cross the roads.
It was already getting dark and the sunset was very quiet, very soft orange, just like here.. It was beautiful and very peaceful.
We had to hurry up as it was quickly getting dark. While riding Sharmenta on a single leadrope I swung the rope around Muratahs bum to make sure I not only had the halter as a ‘pull’ but also a ‘pull’ around the bum. He didn’t like it. He did not like it at all. He started bucking and kicking. Even launched himself into free space, front hoofs up first and then a great kick up. His body made a more than 45 degree angle into the air. We still had to cross a few roads and I needed to be sure he wouldn’t start doing that when we had to cross a road. Crossing a road means wait patiently at one side, ‘explode’ and go as fast as possible to the other side, and then relax again and walk quietly.
As Muratah didn’t have a clue where we were going to and was still looking for the other horses that left just before us, he had eyes and ears for everything. To my surprise he was not spooky at all, although I could imagine other people would define it as spooky. He was very alert on everything around him, and tired him out a lot. When we were close to the drive test/training area he heard some tires squeek and he decided to answer that, his mom followed. I noticed that his attention to all the things around him made him less alert on the line behind his bum so I could bring us where we had to be.
After almost 45 minutes of ‘discussion’ we finally arrived at the schoolcampus, after succesfully having crossed several very busy main streets, walked across the road with cars all around us and many people doing strange things.
It is almost a pity I have to do it all alone, can’t separate the 2 yet; cos both of them together cost quite a lot of attention. Lil’ one starts walking too fast, concentrate on him to make sure he comes back again, and them mum decides that that piece of grass was just that what she needed. Turn around, tell her she shouldn’t do that and on the other side lil’ one decided that that was just the right moment to take off. Trying to make him stop only has effect on his mom, which already knows what a swinging rope mans so she stands still and he takes off. I am glad both of my 2 horses, 1 11y and 1 4,5month old are very patient with me.. I can’t tell them how much I love them for that.
So.. at school we got welcomed by many many little and bigger kids. I had to tell them these horses are not to be stroked; as the little cute one is not yet used to that and might jump, kick and bite. Yes, he’s on a halter, but it’s the 2nd time we are a bit further away from home, and he is completely impressed by all those little creatures all around us. I was amazed by the patience he had while waiting for Jr. to show up.
I quickly put Jr. on Sharmenta and we walked back, into the darkness.
Back in the forest the first little ‘diamond’ came. Jr. said he was afraid of the darkness around him, so I suggested him to pay attention not to the darkness but to the things he could see. Besides, he was sitting on a big warm creature that would protect him if something scary would occur.
He then noticed some satellites and stars and planets and he wanted to know which ones they were. I couldn’t even see the satellites, I was amazed that he could, while sitting on a wobbly surface. It were just tiny pixels, nearly impossible to see while walking in the dark forest.
In our own field I released the other “junior” who was very very brave following me on his leadrope, I didn’t have any problems like I had before with him at all. A little “thank you” I could give by letting the 2 of them get some fresh green stuff which they hadn’t seen in the last week, it was very much appreciated. It was so much appreciated that Lil’ man didn’t even want to follow us home anymore after 5 minutes, I had to pick him up and take him with us, as a bike rode by and I didn’t want to surprise the people on that bike with a solid bit of brown fur flying by with at least 50kmh accompagnied with a solid beat of 4 hoofs carrying over 125kg.. Muratah followed quietly, although he said he’d like to eat some more green fresh grass in the field.
The other beatifull moment happened. While being lit by the moon Lil’ one did fly by in a beautiful happy trot, Jr. still sitting on Sam, me running next to her trying to get back at the stable. It’s one of that moments you think you’re dreaming; having 2 of your beloved ones next to you and know it’s alright, and the 3rd one just flies by, floating in the air, barely touching the ground.. The shade told it all, even Jr. noticed.. We’re surrounded by angels, floating in the air..
We are family, the 4 of us, no matter what different we look like on the outside.
