Someone new came to Walkabout Farm this morning. The chickens were the first to tell us and were clucking between themselves about the stranger. He calls himself a "pigeon" and says his name is Freedom. He is very polite, and made himself at home through the day. He stayed around the barn where Mom had thrown out some extra corn for him. He gave me quite a surprise when he flew to the top of the barn and I heard his feet scratching on the metal, a weird and scary sound, but then I realized he meant no harm. The chickens talked to him this afternoon and he said he had been living in "the city", but had heard there were places where birds nested in trees and there were other animals to talk to and no loud cars roaring and honking. So he decided to see for himself and set out on his journey. Later this afternoon he flew onto Cloud's window sill and told us he was so glad the stories were true about their being another land called "the country." It made us all very grateful that we live where we do, so loved and cared for in this beautiful green world. We know some horses who don't get the freedom we do here and that they are made to trot in circles all the time they are out of their stalls. They have told us that some horses are asked to run very fast for a couple of minutes each day, then stand in their stalls again. I came from a very similar past, trotting in a ring then being made to jump very high until I was exhausted. I was then abandoned to stand by myself in a vacant lot with no one to care for and feed me. All I could do was dream of a different life until I was rescued and finally found my forever home. We think Pigeon is brave for following his dream. He doesn't know if he will stay, or keep exploring, but we are glad to have him while he is here.

A good trail horse

Saturday Mom and Dad took Ace and Cloud off in the trailer. (I was worried, as sometimes that means a horse will never come back!) But they returned a few hours later and I found out there may be more to being a trail horse than just being a horse on a trail. Cloud said they were enjoying going along a nice, cool, wooded trail when he suddenly felt pain in many places at once, like hot needles on his legs and chest. There was a buzzing sound like flies, but hurt worse than fly bites. He said he stomped all his feet at once and tossed his head and stomped again, then he
heard Mom say "Yellow jackets, lets move it!" Dad and Ace started down the trail fast, and Mom told Cloud to GO! After a bit they stopped and Cloud got checked all over. He said his nose even hurt!
I asked Cloud didn't he want to buck and run away as soon as he felt the stings, but he said
if he had done that, he and Mom might have been hurt worse and that a good trail horse has to trust his rider to help him think about the best thing to do. So he waited for her to say it was ok to run. Later, I thought about that. A trail horse needs to be responsible for being a partner with his or her rider. They have to look after each other. That is an important thing to remember.

Cats

I am asked about my relationship with cats. I have known many over my 22 years and have found them all to be wonderful companions. You may know of Traveller (the favorite horse of Robert E Lee). Traveller's best friend later in life was a cat named Tom. I am told that Walkabout Farm was home to an amazing cat named Goldie, who was the Queen of all good cats. She was 20 years old when she went over the Rainbow Bridge, quite an unusual age for a cat. Ace told me that she trained many dogs in her time and legend says she was well respected among all species, including humans, horses, ponies, dogs, other cats, chickens, ducks and goats. When one has a good soul it doesn't matter what species you are. She was much feared by mice, moles and rabbits as well as bumbling puppies. All at Walkabout Farm loved and miss her. Bullet, the white dog, was her special friend. I am sorry not to have known her, but she lives on in the tales handed down from those who did.