Greetings my friends, and welcome to another edition of the Gimli Gazette, where truth reigns supreme and animals & humans dwell in peace with one another.
I got many questions from my young riders this week, so I will begin with them. The first one comes from a session participant who asks, “Why is a frog on a horse called a frog?”
That is a very good question. The frog on a horse is that V-Shaped tissue on our hooves. It is spongy and provides a cushion to absorb harsh shocks as we run. It also protects my joints from damage as I canter around the arena.
As for why humans call it a frog, it is probably because it looks like the pelvic bone of a frog. Frog bones are considered to be lucky in many cultures (why humans think this to be so is a mystery to me!). Perhaps that is why humans also think that horseshoes are lucky??! In any event, that is probably why it is called a frog.
The next two questions deal with my relationship with Ladyhawke and my possible interest in Chloe. They ask, “Who do you like more, Ladyhawke or Chloe? Are you really in love with Hawke?”
I am asked these questions a lot. It must be because folks realize that I am quite the catch in the equine world, and that all mares must be throwing themselves at me.
As I mentioned in my last posting (#58), Ladyhawke and I have a special relationship, but it is not romantic. We both take our work with the children very seriously, and we do not want to do anything that would jeopardize our ministry. We have mutually decided that a workplace romance would not enhance our work with the children, so we will simply remain good friends.
As for the possibility of my becoming involved with Chloe, the same workplace rule would apply. Besides, I barely know this mare. I am not the kind of horse who jumps into a relationship just because a mare is living in a neighboring paddock.
I want Chloe to find her place in the herd. This will happen smoother if I don’t confuse her with any emotional entaglements. I know that this will be hard for her (given my natural charm and game), but she will be strong.
And speaking of Chloe, she fell asleep last week during a session time of horse painting and washing. The session leader feared that I kept her awake with my 3am percussion rehearsals for my upcoming recording. I guess that banging on my feeder in the wee hours was not conducive to her getting a good night’s sleep.
Dr. Cami has looked at my weight and decided that I need to ease up on the straw a bit. I love Dr. Cami, but I fear that she does not appreciate my need for extra food in order to better serve the children. I feel that if there is more of me, there will be more of Gimli for the children to love. Besides, I make the extra weight look good!
Well that’s all for this posting. I hope everyone is surviving the heat. Miss Mo makes sure that the whole herd is protected from excessive exposure to the sun. We appreciate her loving care for us.
Happy Trails,
Gimli July 3, 2023