One of the longest-term inhabitants of the barn, Bennie Fluff is widely adored despite not being the prettiest face. He's been the first horse for hundreds of riders and a regular for a lot of the TR kids, all of whom he has reassured with his easy gaits, calm temper, and willingness to cut riders slack. The first time I was supposed to ride him, after years spent riding only intermittently, I got stuck halfway into the saddle and thoroughly discombobulated. Any horse would've been within its rights to move away and give me the hairy eyeball; Bennie waited until I was back on the ground, then set his hooves a little further apart, braced himself, and stood perfectly still until I was safely up. That sort of patience and generosity made him an ideal beginner horse, and even after students advanced they usually felt a debt of gratitude to him, expressed variously as scratches, pats, or treats, all of which he accepted with equanimity.
Tomorrow he starts the long drive north to Vermont, where a retirement farm has been told to expect his arrival. Everyone will miss his muley ears and gentle attitude, but we could hardly hope for a better setting for such a kind critter to spend his last years.
2 comments:
Is he the one whom you scratched and scratched, and he did the funny chewing thing, akin to the dog/tickling/leg thing?
That'n sure were sweet.
No, that was Sterling (who would like the record to show that he is a boss gelding and general bad-ass). Bennie likes scratches too but expresses his happiness by looking off into the seventh dimension.
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