Odin’s Playful, Perfect Timing

I didn’t know it when I walked out the door with my camera in hand, but there was a party going on next door. A bunch of guys, young and old, were out on the porch smoking.

I get lost when I’m outside with the dogs, Odin and my camera. I wander aimlessly, oblivious to anything beyond the three acres enclosed in pasture fence. I noticed those guys smoking out on the porch when I heard a city-slicker’s attempt at neighing like a horse. It was pretty pitiful of a sound that I felt was meant to make fun of me.

I beat that feeling down for a few heartbeats and did what I usually do; I hid out of sight. Then, I saw the old water bucket and the light bulb went off in my head. I’ll show those guys what a real horse is, I thought to myself, and I grabbed that water bucket up.

One little shake of that bucket and Odin took off running with the dogs on his tail, soon to be left behind in Odin’s wake. That’s all it took was one shake.

Head high, tail high, that horse ran. He’d slow to a prance every now and then to let the dogs catch up, then he’d tuck his but down and catapult himself forward at a dead run.

This time, I had the camera ready. I didn’t notice that I was standing by a large mud puddle, thanks to the rain we’ve had for the last three weeks, until Odin ran to me. The view through the tiny camera screen is deceptive, though I wouldn’t have moved anyway, and he was headed right at me. Slamming on his brakes, Odin planted his hind feet to about sit down while sliding toward me. I was covered in mud from the waist down. A drop got on my camera lens and a few hit my glasses, and Odin was off and running in a different direction before I could even register that I was now soaked with cold, muddy water.

I glanced at the guys on the porch. All heads turned back and forth as they watched Odin put on his breath-taking show. They were just as awed as I wanted them to be, and Odin kept on running.

And they stayed watching.

Time to slow down, Odin, and I held out my hand to have him come to me. He pranced over, head high, blowing hard through his nostrils, and when my hand touched his shoulder, he stood stock still. A few pets, a few soft words and he relaxed and dropped his head to graze.

I looked up just in time to catch the backs of my audience as they filed back into the house.

I bet they won’t mimic the little old, weird, horse lady again, I thought to myself, satisfied that Odin taught them a thing or two. I’m shameless!

There’s more photos of Odin’s show on Out in the Back Yard.