Merry Christmas, Argus!!

Santa Claus visits the barn at Watermark Farm every year. Each horse has a Christmas stocking. Santa fills them all with carrots and apples.

Argus looked especially pleased on Christmas morning. Smug, actually.

I checked his stocking: FULL

It seems Argus and Santa had a good visit, and Santa determined that he must make up for all the lost years of Argus' life.

So after the happy bustle of Christmas morning packages, excited children, and breakfast, I headed out to the barn to clear my head with some meditative stall cleaning.

I discovered that Argus LOVES carrots and apples, and has in fact learned how to eat a horse cookie during recent days.

Argus is shy, and not that easy to catch. Not even in a small pen. He is getting better every day, but I need to help Argus be more excited about being caught and haltered before he can graduate from arena turnout to something bigger and more exciting (we also have to make sure his body can handle it), like pasture. I'll use carrots and apples to help Argus overcome his shyness. I have to turn this boy into a regular "pocket pony."

Argus was turned out on Christmas Day. He actually BUCKED. Not once, but three or four times. He was relaxed and happy. He cantered, and looked at me with his merry eyes as he slid gleefully into the pipe fencing.

I saw something new. It took me a moment to realize what it was.

It was Joy.