the official end of winter

The ponies are out on the pastures again, enjoying their freedom and the fresh, juicy grass.

dew drops and morning sun

Getting up early is so worth it.

Stretching toward the strong April sun.

And shaking off the night’s frost.

and just forget the world

Sometimes you just need a little alone-time.

That little pony there? I’m lucky enough to have been riding him for 3 years. That pasture? Not where he’s supposed to be.
But the flies are a pain and in the big herd there’s a lot going on, with friendships to be forged and water to be fought over and he’s not a big socializer. So he frequently wanders off by himself, through the fence to greener pastures where he has lots of alone time, just the fat green grass and himself. Sometimes he’ll lie down and sleep with no other horse to be seen (someone has yet to explain to him that horses are herd animals).
He’s a weird little pony and that’s why I love him to bits.

happy horses

It’s officially spring…it’s warm and green and flowery and the horses get to leave their winter paddocks behind for the wide pastures.
Spring means freedom

and food…lots of lush green grass waiting to be eaten

and relaxing

But it also means grudgingly coming back in after a while, so they get used to the grass slowly.

Soon they’ll be outside day and night though, one big herd of about 40 geldings, another with a couple of mares, a gang of oldies and youngsters, and one sole stallion.