The Visitors

Cholla is very friendly and loves attention, which our animals don't lack! When he was ten days old, dad and and I were out by the corral admiring our mare and new colt, as we often did. Content to watch the two interact and Cholla explore his new world. I could watch them for hours. Lady was like most mothers, gentle, loving and protective. Cholla continued to display his joy for jumping and his growing curiosity.

Pistol, my five year old gelding, was not happy at Cholla's arrival. It was easy to see that, even if my dad hadn't told me the shocking story of Pistol and Lady on their hind legs boxing with their front, after Lady's quick intervention when Pistol escaped from his tether and ran toward Cholla. Dad somehow broke up the fight, which left mother and son with only minor scratches.

On this calm, sunny spring evening, the horses were safely in their own corrals. Lady and Pistol suddenly froze and stood erect; both turned their heads following some sound only large-eared horses could detect. I waited and watched. Seconds later two large sorrel horses came galloping from the south. They were bare of any usual horse paraphernalia and unaccompanied. I recognized the pair, owned by my neighbor Don, who lived a couple of miles from me. He drove by on a regular basis, with those horses trailered, on his way to my other neighbor's ranch where they rode and roped several times a week. Often, as they drove by, Pistol would run the fence-line behind the trailer and exchange neighs with the passersby.

Upon the visitor's arrival, Pistol rushed to the back corner of his corral to greet the pair. After the three spent a few seconds in a huddled conversation with nostrils flared and sniffing, the visiting pair went directly to the back of the corral where Lady and baby Cholla were. Lady resumed eating her dinner after she ran a circle in her corral, which included a brief stop to admonish the baby-admiring visitors. Lady's body language conveyed her protective-mother message, stronger than if she could speak. The two visitors were standing so close to each other I doubt you get get your hand between the two. They stood perfectly still and seemed to be waiting and admiring, with their eyes fixed on Cholla.

Cholla knew he was center-stage and responded accordingly. The two members of his audience didn't have to wait long to see the show. Cholla, as if on cue, ran circles in his pen and then showed off his much practiced jumping ability. Jumping over the small feed dish and brush in the corral. He continued on for ten to fifteen minutes. After which the two visitors, having accomplished their mission, suddenly turned and trotted away, going in the same direction they came.