Contrary Mares

We had the horses in the arena that had belly high grass growing in it. My husband believes every square inch of dirt should be growing something useful. The four horses mowed it down, and we decided if the water tank was by the gate to the hill with 200 acres they could roam, they wouldn't wander far.

The first week, they were down at the water tank every morning. We caught them and rode. Then one morning only Jammer was at the water tank. The other three were high on the hill. Then for two days we didn't see the other three at all, and this morning, I only saw two.

Bud, my gelding wasn't with the two mares.

Jammer at the gate

We knew the neighbors also had horses on our hill, per our agreement, and they had water for them down at their corrals. But when I saw the mares and no Bud, I was sure something had happened to him. He always hangs with the herd. I began to have visions of him laying in a ravine with a broken leg or a snake bite and decided I needed to go find him.

Knowing if I carried a lead rope or halter Annie, the oldest mare, would lead Lily away from me, I trudged up the hill and over the other side without a lead rope. At the top, I spotted the neighbor horses at the bottom of the hill headed for their corrals and water.

At the back was Bud, plodding along in his usual shuffling walk.

I hollered, "Buuud!" His head came up and he stopped. I hollered again, and he started looking around. Another holler, and he turned his body and looked up the hill at me. A couple more hollers and he was walking back to the gate towards me.

He walked through the gate and I hollered again. I was about half way down the hill. He started running up the hill then stopped and nickered. Annie and Lily topped the hill behind me and started walking south- the opposite direction I wanted Bud to come.

I hollered a few more times but he headed south and soon caught up to them and ignored me. So after hiking up the hill staring down into all the gullet's believing Bud was hurt because he wasn't with the mares, he left me for the contrary mare that avoids being caught at all costs.

I didn't get a ride, only a hike up and back down the hill.

I think we're going to have to lock up Bud and Lily (when I catch them) so I have them available to ride!