Homecoming

Last Friday, after a 9 hour and 58 minute drive, covering 399.9 miles round trip, we finally had Siesta home.  The business of loading her into the trailer and signing off on the paperwork was surprisingly easy.  She hopped in on the second try, and would've gone in the first time if we hadn't been standing so close to the trailer door.  Siesta hauled quietly, and when we stopped to check on her she traded nose-blows with me through the window screen.  She seemed quiet, scared, and very sweet.  I was hooked already.  Once home, we backed the trailer up to the pen, got the side panels positioned into a chute, and opened the trailer doors.  Out popped....nothing.  Hello?  Siesta?  We're home, baby, and you can come out now!  We heard a quiet snort, saw a whisker or two, then suddenly there was a beautiful, shiny, new, red mustang in the pen.  Hungry, thirsty, and exhausted from her journey (which was much longer than ours, she came all the way from Hines, Oregon in one day), she settled right in to her dinner and we let her enjoy it for a bit.

The long drag rope seemed to be driving her nuts, since she stepped on it with every step she took.  Well, okay, it was driving me nuts.  We cut it down to four feet, hoping that it would be better.  Siesta's hooves are really long, and I didn't like the idea of anything impeding her movement, so the morning after her homecoming I removed the rope entirely.  Yes, I just reached up and untied it, very quietly.  She seemed grateful, and walked and trotted freely in a circle around me.  I spent Saturday and Sunday playing little circle games with her.  She enjoyed touching me with her nose, but whenever she started to turn her butt to me I'd say "Uh-uh" and send her back out on a circle until she was ready to face me and we'd start again.  It's a fun game, but it doesn't get me very far with her, so now I'm wishing I had a rope on her halter.  Well, duh!

Siesta at the fairgrounds in Ridgefield, just before loading up.