Love.

I very nearly cried today.

I am not a very expressive person.  I don't relate well to most other people on an emotional level.  I don't read people well.  Sometimes I feel like a robot going through the motions of "sympathizing" or "commiserating."

Dee is not the friendliest of mares.  She hates to be cuddled.  She is often grumpy and trying to kick/bite/you name it.  Ears pinned.  Tail swishing.  She is also not so kind to other horses.  Sure, she goes out with other horses, but she doesn't seem to "make friends."  She generally ignores the horses she is out with currently.

And yet...

I love this horse with all my heart.  The time I spend with her makes my heart lighter.

Today, she showed me that she loved me too.

When I got to the barn, she had JUST been turned out (into an enormous grass field with other mares).  I figured I'd have to spend an hour trying to catch her.  In fact, she met me at the gate.

When I turned her back out after our work was finished, she got straight to eating.  It took me a minute to get the gate latched, at which point she was a good 20 or 30 feet away.  I told her to have a good night, and instead of continuing to eat, she marched over to the gate and said goodbye to me.

She still doesn't like to be cuddled, but that little gesture made me realize that my little lady might just love me, too.