by Jan Fielden

  For someone who really doesn’t like horses, The Colonel has a way with them.  He doesn’t want to ride them because he was kicked by a horse and the same horse bucked him off.  But then, Sundance came down to the fence line when she saw The Colonel’s truck.  She stuck her head over the fence and “begged” him for oats.  Now, you may ask, ‘how does a horse beg for anything’?  Well, according to The Colonel she made horse sounds to him and he knows she was asking for some oats because he asked her if that was what she was asking for…she, of course, said yes, it was.  He told her he didn’t have any oats on the truck so she turned to the side so he could rub her side.  He told me that he told her she was only the second horse that he had ever liked.  Miss Sable was the first one.  Sundance turned to the other side to be rubbed also.  The whole time I am sure he was talking to her because he told me she kept talking to him.

  Then, she turned her rear to him for him to rub that and he said, no, I draw the line there!  After she turned and gave him her face which he rubbed, he told her he had to leave.  She, of course, understanding what he said, turned and trotted off and he came home to tell me of the encounter he had with her.  She does always come to the fence quickly if The Colonel is there.  The Colonel and all the animals on the Red Oak Ranch have a running dialogue and it is always very interesting.  Never know what is going to happen next on the Red Oak Ranch!