Two Last Things

1) How do you tell when a horse is too fat? They don’t get cellulite or complexes, so it’s not the easiest thing in the world. It’s obvious when one is too skinny, of course. And, for sure, these horses aren’t. Oh well—at least they’ve all been ridden about 10 times (except Shadow, who’s up there around 15), and they’re obviously in better shape than when I came—not breathing so hard after gallops, more interested in sustained trotting or cantering, less sweaty at the end of rides. I will miss them!

2) Finally, last night, the dogs and I worked out a sleeping arrangement that pleased us all, instead of mostly just Spackle. For several nights now, Kit will start out on the bed (with much coaxing from me, because it doesn’t seem fair that my brown interloper should have the major comfyness while the actual dog of the house makes do with the throw rug at the foot of the bed), and then get off in the middle of the night, presumably because I’ve rolled over and nudged him, and, huffily, he decides he’s had enough. Night before last, I eventually got him up, but he laid down right where I wanted to be (it’s a king-sized bed, and the dogs take up literally ¾ of it, and Kit was encroaching into my ¼ sliver, putting me at risk of sleeping on the throw rug), so I pushed him over. He jumped up, looked at me reproachfully, then hopped off onto the floor.

Well, last night I got into bed, claiming my sliver, then invited him up (Spackle, whose knee issue keeps him from jumping, had already been lifted to his favorite position). This cleverness on my part allowed the three of us to each stake a reasonable claim, and we all slept soundly throughout the night, and, since no one was here staying with us, woke up after 7:00am. When guests are in the Garagemahal and leave their abode early, Spackle hears intruders in the yard and WOOFS his elk-and-freaky-digestion-scaring woof, which is, as you might imagine, a rude awakening.

Anyway, we all woke leisurely at about 7:40, and then these adorable dogs proceeded to roll around, legs completely intertwined, groaning and sighing with the pleasures of the morning stretch. And then they even let me get up and leave the room to get the camera, and they both stayed exactly as they were when I asked them too, and didn’t move until I’d taken several pictures and said “All done.” Such great dogs!