Wally in 2013 with his black legs, dark mane and tail, and dappled hind end.
Sometimes you do not "see" someone or something you see every day. I realized that Wally, the resident rock star of the wild horse herd, has become a white horse. His dapples have been missing for awhile but I assumed it was because they faded in the sun. When I thought it through, though, it did not make sense. Before he came here, he lived in a lot with no shelter whatsoever from the sun or the weather. He would have been faded when he arrived if that was the problem. Then I wondered if he was ill with some obscure horse disease, or, at the very least, missing a vital nutrient in his diet. I finally admitted complete ignorance and googled for information. Lo and behold, gray horses gradually become white horses. Sometimes I call him Walter as a term of endearment. Now that I have noticed he is entirely white, well.... now I call him Walter White.
My horses have no jobs or responsibilities. They are the supreme beings of this little faux ranch. They do not even have to behave except when Vince comes to trim their hooves or the vet comes to give them shots. Vince and the vet are both men. Men are of no particular concern to Ginger, the little mare. She has been owned and trained by women. Her dealings with men have always been under the watchful eye of women, so she has no idea of the abuse that men often inflict on horses. To Ginger, humans are but mere servants she must tolerate at times, like it or not.
Wally, on the other hand, has some respect for men. Not because I think he was ever abused but because men typically deal with horses in a different way. I gently ask for his cooperation but men demand his cooperation and are not opposed to a physical reminder. In the long absence of any men in Wally's life - save the few times a year he is attended by vet or farrier - he has come to think quite highly of himself. Occasionally, he politely refuses to stand still so I can put a halter on his head. Sometimes he lays his ears back at me simply because I have the audacity to serve hay or oats to Ginger first! Once in awhile, he thinks he can use me as a scratching post, scrubbing his big horse head against my arm or shoulder, almost knocking me down. He has long been a well behaved horse but there are times when he misbehaves, just to see what he can get away with... you know, sort of "breaking bad"...
Disregard the dirt and the dust. Walter is White now...
