One Little Moment

It has been really hot here lately – humid and in the 90’s. So we aren’t doing very much with the horses. They are turned out to pasture, occasionally hosed off, and then brought in to their dry lots/stalls to rest, sleep, eat, and be in the shade and in front of their fans. They seem very happy with the routine and look forward to when we are out and being busy in the barn.
Since Diesel has come to the farm, we have had no expectations from him. We wanted him to learn to trust us, become part of the herd, be healthy, feel safe, and just take some time to settle into our farm routine.
He has been here for 16 months. He has simply become part of our family. However, since we really don’t ask much of him, he sort of just goes along with the herd. When Scout and Eddie are being played with, Diesel usually just comes along and hangs out. We know he has been trained to drive, but that seems to have been a very frightening experience for him. He sees no point to the Parelli games, so he just goes along. And that’s okay!
He loves long walks, treats, and scratches – so that pretty much is what we do with him.
Some days I wonder if he is bored. As he just sort of has that look about him. On those days I will take him for an extra walk (or ask Lea or Allison to), groom him, or just hang out with him.
But this morning, we had this moment. It was a moment that I have longed for since he came to live with us. He was just waking up from a nap when I went over to take off his fly mask and just say hello. I took off his mask, proceeded to give him some gentle scratches and he leaned over to me and put his head right up next to me. He just leaned on me, sort of laying his head against me. I softly whispered in his ear and he didn’t move. I kept talking softly, just telling him how much I loved him, how glad I was that he was with us, and kept on scratching. He continued to lean on me. We just stood for a moment, together. I could really feel that he felt safe; new he was loved, and seemed to be content.
It was a moment I will never forget; because that moment was the reason we spent 6 months trying to rescue him and spent the last 16 months building trust. What a gift that moment was. How lucky am I that I had the opportunity to experience it. Thank you Diesel, for being a teacher of patience, a companion like no other, and a little donk who is willing to share his heart!
Love, your mom - Marianne