Sunny's adventure

This post should probably be titled Rufus's big adventure, but since I'm not with Rufus that story will have to wait until T and Rufus get back - hopefully with pictures.

West River deer season opened today.  T and party headed west on Friday - right into what's turning out to be the first blizzard of the season (Hell-o, Brutus!), and since they're in a cell phone dead zone, I haven't heard how the weather actually is, but according to the NWS they should be experiencing snow.

Buddy, Casper and Rufus at the trailer Friday a.m.

Now you may recall, we originally took Rufus over to the farm to keep Sunny company while Thunder's at the trainer's.  I'd actually forgotten about T's hunting plans at that point.  And given that we've been packing everything in sight, I wasn't sure if he still intended to go.  But when the decision was made that he was going and so was Rufus, J suggested we bring Sunny over to stay while Rufus was gone.

I've always been leery of turning Sunny out with a bunch of strange horses - he tends to be kind of bossy.  But since he did okay with Rufus, and Rufus lived over there until last month, and all of J's horses tend to be pretty laid back about everything....

On Thursday afternoon we loaded Rufus and Sunny up and took them over.  Introductions involved lots of sniffing -

Sunny sandwich

Some running around

Some milling

It was odd seeing the dichotomy of size - Sunny and Rufus aren't particularly small horses, but they just flat aren't as long or wide as J's big, rangy Quarter Horses.

But very little actual chasing

Casper was the only one that showed the slightest sign of aggression, and he wasn't nearly as intent on it as Sunny's been known to be.

More sniffing

Sunny located the hay feeder first thing, of course.  He cruised around the lot sniffing everything, trailing Rufus and occasionally one of J's horses, but other than a couple of squeals in the first minute, things were pretty quiet.

By this point, the sun was sinking fast and T was making noises about getting back to the real drama of the evening - the low trailer tire we'd discovered while unloading.  (Unfortunately, the spare turned out to be low as well.  And shame on me, when for not checking it before we loaded them - I didn't even think about it.)  Thankfully, with the weight off we had enough pressure to make the short run into town, and when we pulled forward slowly to check for nails or punctures, nothing showed and it wasn't hissing.  We made it into town, aired up, and both tires are still holding good pressure this morning. Still, time to have them all checked.

I ran T and baggage out Friday a.m. in the dark(!) and helped the guys get hay and groceries loaded up.  Of course, I checked on Sunny first.  He was fine - hanging tight with Rufus - unscathed but for one small bite mark on his butt.

Sunny, along with the others, got turned out into the big field for the duration.

Pennie, Eyore, Bubbles, Sunny and Lightbulb

When I checked on him today I arrived just as a freight train blew through. The tracks run right along the whole east side of the field. The rest of them were completely unconcerned - trains are normal for them.  Sunny was watchful, but it obviously wasn't the first one that had gone by.  His eyes were plenty big, though.

Eyore was occupying himself trying to get the other horses to play with him - they weren't interested, so he tried Sunny.

Sunny was not amused.

"Go away, you odd little nuisance!"

 

"I mean it."

"Get!"

For which I'm just as pleased - Rufus used to have a tail.  I really don't want Sunny's going the same way!