Yesterday I was privileged to witness first a sheep dance, then a horse dance. I was putting out hay for the sheep at dinnertime when Truffles and Beau came dancing down the hill to the barn area, either in exultation over dinner or in sheer joy at the new life they have been enjoying on the sanctuary for two weeks now. Their dance was a bouncing pronging on straight legs, as if they were on springs, and included the sound effects of thudding hooves. To me, it was a male sheep happy warrior dance—powerful and impressive. Beau skidded to a stop in front of me and I offered the flake of hay I was holding. He took a delicate bite, looking up at me with soulful dark eyes. Truffles went right to the bowl.
The donkeys were already at the feeder. I went in search of Pegasus, who sometimes comes when I call and sometimes waits for me to come find her so we can run back to the barn together. She wasn’t in her usual evening spots. I finally heard her snort from somewhere in the brush before I saw the top of her head. I thought she would appear soon after, so I waited where I was. No Pegasus. I walked forward calling her. She waited until I saw her, then whinnied, whirled, and took off in a mad dash along the upper hillside. I raced along a parallel path on the lower hillside. She waited for me where the paths converged, then took off again, in the open now, twisting in the air, kicking up her heels, tossing her head—a wild exuberant dance ending at the barn gate. Life is so good!
Pegasus on the hill (Photo credit: Kelly Durkin)
