thank you for being a friend

Thursday was warm and sunny and it was Sovereign's turn to go for a ride. I groomed him while he grazed in the sunshine. He stands like a statue in the forebay when I tack him up, even though Pie is heckling him in the paddock beside us. Pie, understandably, does not like being left behind and he acts like a spoiled child, squealing and stamping his feet and bucking and racing and rearing. I keep the horse that is left behind in the small paddock with hay and water because they really can't get racing too much and I hope to avoid injury. When I ride Pie, Sovey stands quietly in the paddock and only whinnies once, when we return. When I ride Sovey, Pie throws a wing-ding. I know this is a difficult thing to overcome because it is their herding nature to stick together, and when I leave Pie behind his nature is telling him that he is vulnerable as a single unit. I hate to go against nature, but short of adopting a herd (which I am not ready to do yet!) I have to juggle two horses and their natures. I do think that Sovey is uneasy for some of our ride because of Pie's antics. This is something that has only developed recently. Sovey acts like he is getting buddy sour, but I am not sure that is it entirely. I rode a barn sour/buddy sour mare two years ago. I could "make" her walk quietly by circling, but she still was focused on getting home. Sovey seems more upset by Pie's worry than his own. He has long stretches on a loose rein when he is enjoying himself. Then, he will hear Pie squeal and he hurries. He will turn to look back at the paddock and if he sees that Pie is calm, he will face away and walk like he is ready to head out again. I wonder if my worry about Pie also influences Sovey's worry. A two horse herd is not natural, but that is where we are now. I hate to do anything that causes worry in a horse's life. I hope with consistent riding days two things will happen: a.) Pie will learn that he is safe and that Sovey will return, and b.) Sovey will see that Pie isn't too worried.

Sovey is a sensitive boy. He is a real helper to me. Last night the winds and the rains came. I went over after dark to bring the boys into the barn but they were in their shed. I am gradually going to transition them to living outside 24/7, but I am not ready just yet. They look at me like I am nuts because I am trying to take them out of their warm shed to walk them through the wind and rain to put them inside a barn! That is where their hay was for the night so I felt like I had to do it. I put Pie's halter on, but he would not budge. Sovey was behind Pie so I said, "Sovey, tell him to go." Sovey reach down and bit/nudged Pie on the butt. Thank you, Sovey! Pie walked in.