Leaves are falling all around

I took this picture of Sovereign yesterday before I started grooming him (you can see mud on his head under his ear!). I love how he closes his eyes when he is munching. I took about 7 pictures all in a row and he has his eyes shut in every one. That is the cutest trait, I think. He is not a super relaxed horse (except under saddle) and it is nice that he can let down his guard and close his eyes when he is eating.

Here is a shot of his poochy legs. Not too great for confirmation, but adorable, just the same!

Post-ride grazing with more eye shutting.

Both horses have been perfect this week. The temperatures have warmed up to high 50's around noon. I have been eating lunch at 9:30 am (!) so that I can have the best part of the day to groom and ride and graze. When I get to the barn at 11, the boys are curled up sleeping in the shade. My favorite part of having horses, is watching their behaviours and personalities in action. I think I could write a children's book about the adventures of Pie and Sovey. I already mentioned that they are like the odd couple. Pie (Oscar Madison) is a chubby, messy boy. He shakes his mane out as soon as I brush it, so that it falls all over the place. He loves the mud. He groans (merrily) when he rolls, pees or poops! He is relaxed and large and spread out and happy. He eats heartily and grazes without inhibition. Sovey (Felix Unger) is persnickety and neat as a pin. When he rolls, he is anxious and stiff. He hardly ever gets any mud on him. He doesn't like to be curried. I have to brush him in a softer manner than any other horse I have ever met. He nibbles grass, but takes frequent breaks to look around. He watches the neighbors, not like he is worried, but more like a Nosey Parker. It is difficult to be on the property without Sovey finding me. I try to refill buckets without him seeing me (because his only "messy" trait is that he likes to swim in fresh buckets) but he knows where I am at all times.

Their sleeping routine is enough to crack me up. You can see Sovey "saying" to Pie, "Ok, I am going to curl up here, and you keep watch." Then, Sovey circles and down he goes, slowly and carefully. As soon as Pie sees him doing that, you can see him completely forgetting that he is supposed to keep watch. His eyes get sleepy and he flops down and snuggles into a tight circle beside Sovereign. Sovey, annoyed, stands back up to keep watch. Pie is like a big Labrador puppy who is bigger in size, but actually, the younger "brother" (not really brothers). He just can't listen to Sovey's directions. I do worry that Sovereign really never gets to rest fully. Hopefully, as Pie ages, he will take on a little more responsibility and give Sovey a chance to sleep better. I know they sleep standing up, but my human brain loves to see horses sleeping like little deer in the pasture.

It is pouring rain right now, so I am sure they are snoozing in their shed. It is a sleepy kind of day.