Belle Has a Friend

I love ponies.  Just over a year ago, my husband talked me into adopting a little fuzz-ball Shetland pony for our kids to learn on.  He was a rescue pony that had been literally starved almost to death before he was seized from his owners by animal control.  He was placed in a wonderful foster home, where he was rehabbed and made ready for a permanent home.  We are that lucky home, and we adore him.  His name is Firecracker, but he is as gentle as can be and he loves to be ridden and fussed over by our children.

Well, enough about my family's pony.  Rick and I are neighbors, you know, and neighbors have to keep up with one another.  As soon as we brought Firecracker home, Rick decided that he and his wife should find a pony for their grandchildren.  So, the search began, and we found a wonderful little gelding named Woody.  He is the perfect babysitter pony and he loves to go on trail rides.  Actually, he loves everybody and everything.  And everybody loves him, too.  Including Belle.

Belle was weaned from her foal just a couple of weeks before she came here, and she was used to being with lots of other mares and foals for companionship.  Here, there are plenty of horses to talk to, sniff, and even do some mutual-grooming through the fence with, but I thought it would be nice if she had her own little buddy.

Woody was only slightly alarmed in the beginning.  That is a wild mustang don't ya know, and a mare to boot.  Yikes!  He is used to being at the bottom of the pecking order, so Belle can control him with just the slightest glance or movement of her ears.  No kicking or squealing for these two, thank goodness.  She lets him eat hay side-by-side with her, and they enjoy just hanging out together or strolling around the arena.

Pretty dog-gone cute together, aren't they?  Maybe I could teach Woody to pick up Belle's rope and bring her to me....and we could add Mustang Tamer to his resume.