Awareness of the outside world. Links for latest horrid news report. How to Help. Resources & Support. Good that we have resources; terrible that we need them.
~~~
(space to take a breath or two)
~~~
(shift gears)
~~~
Morning walk.
Leave barn. This is where Rodney stops to have our daily discussion about the wisdom of this venture. [The Conversation]
Got out to ring area. Walk the long side of pasture. Turn around at corner. Walk back to starting point. Repeat x4. One mile. Approx 25 minutes.
This is the routine. Woe betide if we alter it.
1st lap. Milton leads. Rodney on lead rope. Otherwise he stops to contemplate being & nothingness or possibly the cows next door. At turnaround, the leadrope can come off. He will continue to follow Milton. I’ll walk next to or in front.
2nd lap. Cookie break at turnaround.
3rd lap. Turnaround. Cookie break. Swap to Rodney back on leadrope, in front. Milton off lead & following.
Repeat for lap 4.
At the turnaround for lap 5, halters off. They have the option of staying out to graze or wandering back to the barn.
You don’t need to track the exact specifics as much as realize that there ARE specifics and the horses expect us to follow them.
Examples of wrong. One person leading both horses. Swapping personnel. Rodney in the lead for the first lap – actually this doesn’t happen. He will stop and wait for Milton to take the lead.
Things to watch out for. Milton is okay with Rodney in front. He is okay with Rodney behind. He does! not! like! Rodney passing him. He will become expressive in this situation. All three of us – two people & Rodney – are on watch when we make the turn to be sure we respect Milton’s personal space.
Most of the time, the people get it right and the horses chug along.
Onwards!
Katherine
Virtual Brush Box 
As a non-horse person, let me ask a stupid question.
Since horses are prey animals, is ritual behavior the norm or are these two really, really such special snowflakes?
Joan
Both. Horses like routine & these two are special snowflakes. Especially Milton on the subject of How Things Are Supposed To Be.