Spring has arrived in the Bluegrass and the two foals have stopped tagging along quite so close to their dams. They now venture off impressive distances across the field, darting back to their moms only when some horse eater approaches. (On our farm, a leaf blowing across the paddock, or a dog barking at the neighbor’s, or a particularly strong gust of wind can all qualify as horse eaters.)
At some point during these excursions, Jo met up with our Honour and Glory colt and struck up a fast friendship. The joys of horseplay were quickly embraced, and the two are now inseparable.
Complicating this camaraderie is the fact that the two mares aren’t on good social terms. Sometimes the two foals will find common ground halfway between their dams, but just as often, they frolic around Hermione, who stoically accepts two youngsters rearing and dancing and generally carrying on around her. And--you can probably guess where this is leading--I’ve caught the colt nursing on Hermione a couple of times during the play dates. I get a real kick out of watching this old mare with her two foals, neither of which share her genes.
