Freedom Is Overrated

So apparently Peri didn't think it was a privilege to be allowed free reign over the yard. Instead of appreciating the liberty, she just wandered around nervously, feeling out of place and trying to find a way to get in with the other sheep.

So I relented and put her in with Nicholai, even though it will mean she has to tough it out, being the only three-and-a-half legged sheep in the group. Nicholai pursued her for a few minutes, but I dumped some feed into their dish, which effectively distracted him.

When I left them, Peri and Moriah were in a low-energy struggle for dominance: They were just locking horns and leaning on each other.

The yearling colt Shane has been being naughty lately. Every night he deliberately knocks over the huge feed tub and spills all the hay and grain into the dirt. As if feeding these horses was not already putting us in the poorhouse, he's out there deliberately wasting it!

I caught him at it tonight and chased him out of the paddock as punishment. He was very upset that the other horses were getting to eat while he was having a "time out" so he was prancing and galloping all over the pasture.

I have to say, he sure is pretty when he moves. He went through a really awkward, dumpy stage this summer, but now he's growing again and WOWZA, he's got a trot that just flies along. I can't even picture how he's going to look when he's full grown, but it's nice to see he's developing all of his mother's beautiful gaits.