The Wally Lama

It took such a long time to find another horse after losing my dear Annie because I was waiting for the Wally Lama.  He is the one.  In the first place, Ginger lo-o-v-e-s Wally with all of her bossy little horse heart.  Of course, that does not mean she is necessarily nice to him.  He clears out with all speed, even to the point of walking backwards if need be to stay out of Ginger's reach.  I have never seen Ginger actually kick or bite Wally, but he is a peace-loving guy, and practical, choosing to let Miss Thing believe she rules the universe.  Wally knows if mama ain't happy, ain't no body happy.  Ginger's meanness toward him only applies to treats, food and water. She magnanimously allows Wally to breathe all the air he wants. 

In the second place, I l-o-v-e Wally with all my crazy old horse lady heart.  He has a "yummy" spirit.  I want to pet his velvet nose and rub his wise forehead, where surely the energetic pattern remains from the ancient, mysterious past when horses were unicorns.  He is kind of goofy and funny and the product of his Arabian genes, tossing his head and lifting his front hooves in alarm, ready to thunder away at the merest hint of alarm.  He is so much taller than I am, especially when he lifts his head to intently watch and listen for danger - like cows grazing in the next pasture over or a guy on a bicycle pedaling along the road.

Wally is also mysterious.  He survived being struck by lightning.  Human beings who survive lightning strikes sometimes become lightning shamans.  As they heal, they realize they are clairvoyant or clairaudient.  Some can see and hear spirits, and almost all become natural healers in one way or another.  I wonder if the same can happen to horses. 

Horses are naturally sensitive and empathic.  They have an inherently gentle and healing nature.  Once a human being experiences a horse as a fellow sentient traveler in life, it is almost impossible to want to dominate, ride or otherwise subjugate a horse.  It is important to me to simply love my horses as they are and for them to peacefully spend their days in my keeping.  It is a small gesture of gratitude in recognition of the enormous debt human beings owe to the horse.  We became "civilized" upon the backs and sacrifice of the horse nation.

Wally is no fool.  His previous owners told me that when inexperienced riders tried to ride Wally, he simply refused to move.  When experienced riders were called in to correct Wally, his answer was to only move backward.  No one had the time or the patience to convince Wally he is supposed to ride out at the bidding of human beings.  A dedicated trainer could turn Wally into a fine riding horse but Wally apparently believes in a different destiny for himself.  His choices eventually landed him in my life, so perhaps he knows exactly what he is doing.

Mysterious Wally

Post Script:  Ginger is actually far nicer to Wally than she ever was to Annie.  Both Ginger and Wally have spots along their necks where their manes are rubbed off because they spend so much time grooming one another.