I got scolded by my Mom!

HELLO! Yes, Grandma Dodi did touch me first, even if it was just once!




Tripp lets me pull on the stirrup - I finally got him to move around this way.


Well, it is simple. If I don't have pictures to look back at - I forget stuff. Important stuff! Stuff as in my Mom reads the blog about Brian and Madison being the first strangers to go into Tripp's pen and meet him. She then reminds me that on the 24th, the night she stayed at my house, she went in Tripp's pen with me and he let her touch him once. ACK! I will find a way to redeem myself. :-) And yes, my Mom did visit Tripp and he was very ancy so Mom left the pen because she didn't like him being nervous. She then watched me work with him for almost an hour...the time just flew! I was glad she got to see that. As kids, we always had horses, but we never did anything like this before. I got to share what I have learned the past few years. It was awesome explaining some of what I was doing to my Mom. She is hooked! She can't make the event this year, but she said that next year she would love to go.

Tripp wore the saddle again today. I have decided that this is going to be an almost every day occurrence. I say 'almost' because I don't want him thinking that everything revolves around the saddle. (HELLO! It revolves around me! Ha ha!) We didn't 'drop' the saddle this time, and he really did good! I cinched it up snug and after walking him for a bit, I free lunged him to see what would happen with the stirrups flapping around. Nothing....absolutely nothing! Then I started pulling on the stirrups - I wanted him to give to that pressure too, and he did! He was a little confused, heck, I would be too! But he took it in stride...Which is a good thing. I would rather he not know that he can buck and get all silly with stuff on his back. :-) Then we did the normal touchy feely stuff. It was another good night!

Karen and Tripp

Tripp likes flannel....

Tripp likes my flannel jacket...it was chilly this morning!



Tripp and I after buckling the bareback pad....



Finally got the western saddle on - but no girth for today. Isn't he cute?



Today was another good one with Tripp. I only had two long sessions with him today - he and I were both tired. :-)

I started out the morning by taking the paper out to read while he ate breakfast. It was kind of chilly this morning, but nice.
This morning for our first session we did a little bit of round pen work. He was on edge with the wind and the noise of the banging tin, not to mention my flannel jacket flapping in the wind, and he gave the illusion of almost running me over when I tried to get him to go to the pen. He had never done that before and I decided I might as well give him a reason not to do it again. He just needed something else to focus on. It took a little while, but he finally relaxed and focused on me. Then I remembered I had an old bareback pad with the buckle girth - so I put that on him and buckled it up. He was kind of goosey, but not bad at all! We walked around a while, I yanked on it, slid it around, tightened it a couple of times so it was a little more snug, and then I took it off and rubbed him with it again. As long as it doesn't make noise, he is fine. This morning's session was done without the lead rope.

This afternoon I took my Trail Rider magazine out there and I read a while - he just stood under the canopy with the other horses close by, and was like me....doing an awful lot of yawning! Wish I could have got a picture of that!

There was an article about the Midwest Challenge in Trail Rider and I sat there and boo-hoo'd when they talked about adoption day! Last year my husband and I went to the EMM, and I cried like a baby on adoption day because people's stories with their horses were so amazing.....now I get to have the pleasure of doing something with the mustangs that I could have only dreamed of a few years ago, and I am feeling what last years trainers felt. It is only week #2, and emotions are all over the place!

Then I sucked it up, and got to work! I put the western saddle on him - no girth - and it took a couple of times, but I finally got it there. We went thru the same drill with it as I did the bareback pad that morning - flopped it around, rubbed it, hit it, moved it, took it off and put it back on.....he finally ignored what I was doing, and I was happy. I was still wearing my flannel jacket and decided that it would look good on Tripp. I took it off and rubbed him with it, then threw it all over him, then put it on his neck and head and we walked, then on his butt and we walked. He did GREAT! Then we did the normal rubbing all over stuff. I still have not got his full legs yet - need to really focus on them because his hooves need to be shaped up.

My goal this weekend was to get the pads on him, and I was HOPING for a saddle. I completed my goals! This week will be a whole lot more of the same stuff, plus I will be enlarging the pen a little bit and putting in a couple rails for him to step over. I also want to get the nylon halter off him and put the rope halter on. Will play that one by ear....I don't want to get myself in a pickle!

Another good day gone by......

Until later.....Karen and Tripp

P.S. Tripp is very short backed, so my saddle that I saved and saved for will be too long for him. Hmpf! Will figure that one out later. Once he is trailer ready, we just might head south and visit George's Tack! :-) He has a variety of new and used saddles. Surely something will work! (hee hee.....looking for an excuse to look for another used saddle)

Sporting the color blue.....

Tripp wearing a Wintec saddle and a cushy pad...




Karen touches my leg...I don't like it! YET! :-)












Today was a great day! Not only did I get bunches done around the place, the weather was gorgeous and I got to play with Tripp. Life is good!

Before I talk about the 'clothes' that Tripp is wearing, I do want to mention that he pooped today. Too much information???? Well, here is the interesting part - there was a long thing that came out with the apples.....I was hoping it was a half digested stick, some grass that slid thru the system, or something like that. Nope! It was freaking plastic! A twisted piece of plastic about 10 inches to 12 inches long. Thankfully he passed it, but now that I know he is part billy goat and will eat anything, I will be more careful what I give him to play with.
One of the bags that was left on the panel has a perfect bite mark out of it - just like a shark who took a bite out of a surfboard. He is a nut!

Now, on to the new 'clothing' that Tripp is sporting. Before I started messing with him I pulled out two of my old pads and draped them over the fence. I was shoveling mud from his canopy and was also watching him nose around the pads. He played with them for a while, but never pulled them off and flipped them around. I have to admit I was hoping for a show. :-) It was still good.

When I was done cleaning out the mud, I did the normal brushing and moving him around, then introduced him to the blue english pad. That is the one he spent the most time with. He was tense, but didn't try to get away from me. I rubbed that thing all over him then threw it on his back and walked him around with it. It even fell off a couple of times and I just dusted it off and put it back on. I had no intentions of bringing a saddle out yet, but thought to myself "Why not?" If he gets too stressed I will find a good way to end the saddle thing and go back to what we were doing. I grabbed my old Wintec saddle that I have had for several years - it is very light weight and there was nothing to flap around him. I just wanted to put it on his back and walk him. He snorted at it a few times, but I got it on there and he did GREAT! One little jump to try and get away but stopped when he hit the end of the lead rope. I moved it around and made some noise with it, and we walked around.

I then took that stuff off and got one of my navajo pads out and put it on him. Did the same thing - rubbed him all over and then put it on and we walked around. I did try to put one of the old western saddles on him, but he was having no part of that. I tried a few times and decided to just touch him with it, then end on a good note. It is sitting on the fence for him to nose around.

After that I decided that we were going to walk thru the gate and back in. Now, it never occurred to me that he might go out real good, but not come in real good! LOL! He checked the gate out, he poked his head out and looked around, then he followed me out. I circled him around and tried to get him back in, and he would get to the entrance of the gate and STOP! It took some patience, but he finally came back in. I told him what a good boy he was, then he turned around and walked right back out! ACK! My mistake! I was standing too close to the gate and had too much slack in the lead. Oh well, need to practice anyways. About that time my 27 year old Arab mare decided to come say hi to him - she is white so they are striking together! She gets all hoity toity and starts squealing at him, then turns around and kicks towards him. No contact was made - thank goodness - but she made her point! (I got her when she was 5). She decided that she had created enough drama and walked away.

He finally came back in and I was smarter this time - took him to the middle of the pen then told him how good he was.

I brushed him down again and gave him his dinner. He let me walk around him while he was eating and I even stopped to pet him down his back without me having to hold a lead rope.

OH! Best part of today? I GOT TO HUG TRIPP!!!!!! LOTS OF TIMES!!!!!!! It literally brings tears to my eyes. He is a neat guy!

I keep thinking it is a lot of the same stuff we are doing, and it is, but that is what is getting him better and more comfortable.

Tripp and I wish you all a happy day and a good night!

Plastic bag spit balls and meeting new people...

Tripp's first time with more than one person in the pen...





Tripp gets to meet Brian's daughter, Madison....



Thursday evening before the storms hit I thought I would tie some plastic bags on the panels of Tripp's pen. He came out to check on me when the wind picked up. Of course those bags started making a racket and poor Tripp freaked out! The one close to him made noise, he jumped up in the air, turned and landed facing it! Then the others started in and he jumped and turned again, then the wind came in hot and heavy and all the bags started making noise. He looked terrified, squatted down low and was shaking like a leaf, and I almost cried because I never wanted him to be that afraid of anything while he is here. :-(

At that moment I decided that night wasn't a good night to work with him, so I gave him the night off from me. He had enough to think about. He spent a while under the canopy (no bags there). I started feeding the other critters after convincing myself that he would be okay. When I came out of the barn, he was poking his head around the corner to check out the evil bags. He never did completely relax while I was out there, but it was better than when he first noticed them.

Friday morning I went out to feed and most of the bags were gone! ACK! I walked around the pen and mixed up with the mud were a bunch of bag pieces that look like he was using them as spit balls! Great! Now I am worried about him eating plastic....that can't be good! I will keep an eye on him.

In spite of the crazy storms we have been having, Friday was a good evening. I decided it was time for Tripp to get used to someone else being in the pen. Up until now, it has been only Tripp and myself. He did so great!!! My husband Brian came in the pen and Tripp looked at him and was a little uneasy at first, but he quickly settled down and let Brian pet all over him and lead him around. I was so proud of Tripp!

Then I asked Brian's daughter, Madison, to come in the pen. She didn't want to at first - she was scared. Her and her brother are city kids and are afraid of everything country - I am working on that! :-) I finally talked her into coming in the pen, and told her she could stay by the gate so if she got too scared she could just leave. That was acceptable to Madison, so in she came. Tripp was so cute - at first he buried his face against Brian, then he stuck his nose out for Madison to touch. Brian's son Jordan was outside the pen, and Tripp decided to go sniff on him a little bit too. Yay!

After our group session, I just worked on petting and rubbing all over him. He is getting much more comfortable with that. He is still tense at times, and doesn't want me around his hind end, and he will get pushy about keeping me away, but it isn't as bad as it was. I think he is realizing that the pushier he gets, the pushier I get back.

I am very pleased with how the evening went! I spent well over an hour with him. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly the time goes with him.

Until later....... Tripp and Karen

Scary bags and brushes.......

Look at the brush on my butt.







That bag isn't so scary when it is laying on the ground.






Well, sometimes it is easy to take a picture without a photographer and sometimes it isn't. I introduced the plastic bag on the stick to Tripp. And trip out he did! I didn't even go towards him with it - I just made noise and walked back and forth on the other side of the pen. For a while it was in front of me - SNORT SNORT - then it was following me - SNORT SNORT! When he would face me and quit moving, I would stop. He would snort at it some more and move forward a little bit. After a while of that I just threw it on the ground and worked on our touching. I left it there and he moved it from one side of the pen to the other while I was feeding the other critters. Wish I would have seen it!

The best part about tonite was this - I found his first itchy spot and he LOVED it!!!! He would scratch in places, but they were no-touch zones, so there was no way for me to prove my value to him. He was trying to scratch his neck and I found the spot! That upper lip stuck out like a camel! It was funny!

I worked on brushing him tonite, and made it to his butt! After the storms that went thru here yesterday morning and last night, he was a muddy boy! I figure a picture of the brush sitting on his butt was enough. :-) Trying to keep him from getting to close to me was a challenge - but we got it. He will let me touch his legs with the whip - inside and out, but me touching them with my hands was not comfortable for him at all. I would trick him and get to spots on the middle part of the front legs, then move away quickly before he could move. It is amazing how easy it is to see their expression change. I mainly worked on the front, altho I did brush the upper part of the back legs. I am going to be very careful there.....when the horse flies are buzzing around, he has no qualms about kicking straight out and back, and he is quick about it. Don't need any accidents happening around here!

The past couple of nights have been some of the same - touching, touching, and more touching. He uses his head to keep me away from moving down his body, so last night I had to start moving that beautiful head out of my space. He can get a little pushy, and I have been known to be a push over, so that is another thing I am trying to be careful about.

Until later........Karen and Tripp

ACK! Clark Kent looks different than Superman!

I don't have any photos for this day, which is just as well. Apparently I looked really bad and scary!
I went out Sunday morning to play before feeding time and Tripp freaked out, ran under the canopy to 'hide', and I was wondering where the guy in the evil clown suit was hiding! After all, what could cause such a reaction?

Well, it was the first morning I had gone out in my glasses! And no make-up....but would he notice that? I have made a point of wearing lots of different colors just in case he is sensitive to stuff like that. It took me a while to get him calmed down enough to touch. I did get 3 sessions in with him this day, altho they were short.

That evening we went to pick up hay, and Tripp watched Brian driving the tractor with the big round bale up in the air, but he didn't react to it. Just watched it until he could not watch it any more. We went to get a 2nd load and I figured I had enough time to get another touching session in.

I think between the tractor going by again, me being in the pen with him, and the horse flies taking that time to attack, it was just too much for him to concentrate. He had enough! Normally I close off the extra panel so the pen is round, and when I am done I open it back up so he has access to the canopy part. This time I didn't shut the pen off so he RAN back and forth across this small pen. I tried to make a game out of it because I didn't want him to know he can get by me in the future by running by me. It didn't work! (I did manage to walk by him while he was eating and he didn't leave - so that is good)

When I go out to feed before work I try to spend a few minutes with him. This morning he was not having any part of it, the little snot! So I had him take a couple bites of hay out of my hand (he does this without backing up after each bite now) set down the rest of breakfast, then I left him alone.

Tonite we worked a little harder and he still wasn't going to let me as close as I was the other evening. Part of that could have been because Brian was running power tools in the barn, which is right by the pen. I did manage to get a little skinny lead line on his halter and we worked that way for a while. Once he realized he could not get away he was much better. He did try to lunge away twice but I managed to hold on and get him turned back towards me. The look on his face was priceless! It is actually the whole body language along with the look. Good! :-)

Oh yeah, the other priceless moment of the evening....he nickered at me when I first walked out there. Life is good!

Progress little by little....

Two handed touch Saturday evening - WOW!




We are bonding...





Tripp sucking up....it is feeding time.






Up to this point Tripp's lead rope is still off, so if any touching is to be done, it is because he is ready for it. He will let me know.

Friday the 20th was good. I got to rub him all over with the whip and he tolerated it. Even under the belly. I have kept the lunging to a minimum since he changes directions so well - we do a little bit, then work on touching and having him follow me. I just don't want him to get bored.

Saturday was great! I didn't have to go to work, so I could go out and do a few short sessions with him. The best one was that evening when I got to touch his neck! Lead rope is still off, so I had a light hold on the nose of the halter and when he backed up and felt the pressure, he moved towards me. I was so darn excited I could not stand it! He really did good!

With my limited experience I have no idea where I will be when the competition gets here - but what I can say is I am having the time of my life! :-)

Tripp learns to lunge...

Tripp playing in his water bucket during his break.






Tripp trying to decide if the pole bites.













Last night (Wednesday the 18th) we finally got my pen the way I want it so it was the first official night I lunged Tripp. Up to that point I have been working with him giving to the lead rope, and touching his face. He still was not keen on me getting close to any other part of his body, but he got okay with forehead rubs.

I got my lunge whip out – I like it because it is light weight and long enough, plus the string is good for draping over them. He is very curious so I let him smell it. He took it from me! I took it back and thought to myself that it might be good he did that, and it might not.

Oh yeah, I took his lead rope off last night too. Right or wrong, who is to say? All I know is I was stressed watching him step on it every time he moved and if I was stressed, he would be stressed. So off it came. At first he walked kind of funny and I think it was because he didn’t realize it was gone and that he was not going to step on it and yank his head down.

Let me start by saying he backs up real good. If we backed around that whole pen once, we backed around that thing 100 times! That is what he does when he doesn’t like something. It isn’t a crazy run for your life back up, it is very slow and methodical.

He did real good free lunging to the right! But trying to get him to go to the left was WORK!!!! I need to lose some poundage, and every night of this just might do it! He just doesn’t like me on his left side, and he backed up, and backed up……and backed up more, and even backed up more! I would try to put more distance between me and him so that he might slow down and I could hopefully get around to his shoulder to get him turned, but that little stinker would stick his nose out and block me! When I would finally make it over there and get him turned, it was a fight to keep him going. I didn’t care so much about that because I was happy just to be there! There were a couple of times he did a beautiful roll back to head the other direction, then I would have to work to get him turned again. At that point I really didn’t care if he turned towards me or towards the fence – I just wanted him to go left.

He is very sensitive with the invisible drive line too. The first time he stopped when I moved forward he stopped on a dime. Tucked that butt and just stopped! My first thought was that he would make a nice little reiner or it might be fun to play with some cattle. Of course this is coming from someone who has seen it but really doesn’t know what body type is good for it. He stops on a dime every single time I move forward.

I then worked on touching him with the whip. He moved a lot and I just moved with him. When he stopped, I stopped and moved away. He didn’t like his back legs messed with but never kicked out – he just lifted the foot in slow motion and acted like he thought about it. I spent more time with the neck and back area. He actually did great with his right side, but that darned left side was a challenge to approach.

When I was finally done last night I tried to get back up to his face, which he was letting me do the few days before. Not last night! He was pouting and just was not going to let me do it. Which of course I had to follow him until he stopped because I don’t want him to know he can win. He finally did let me close to his face, he brought his nose out and let me touch it. I rubbed his forehead, moved his forelock, then quit on that note and gave him groceries.

He was not happy with me last night. He actually pouted! Which of course hurt my feelings! Ha ha! I will be the first to admit that I am a major pushover when it comes to the horses, and with Tripp and the event, I know I have to step up to the plate and be the leader!

Tonite (Thursday the 19th) went much better! We did not do near as much trotting around, but we did more turns. Most of the time he turned in towards me, even when changing direction to the left. I still had to chase him at times to get him to move forward instead of backing up, but for the most part he did good.
Then I worked both sides touching him with the whip. And you know the weird thing? He does better with me touching his left side (once I get there) than he does the right! Go figure. I also rubbed around his neck and chest – he wasn’t sure about it but did excellent!
I was also working with him on facing me. Last night when he was mad he didn’t want to face me. I would wait a minute or two then he would peek at me, but would not face up.
Tonite he faced up, and when I would move from side to side he would follow me. I was tickled with that!

I gave him about an hour break before playing with him again, so I gave him a bucket of water. He played in it. It was cute! He even chewed on the bucket.

All in all I am very happy with where he is at. I will be able to get some extra time on the weekends with him. I just wish I could work in extra time during the week. I do spend a few minutes just hanging out with him in the mornings. I let him come up behind me and let him rub his lips on me.

I know it will happen in time, but I want to hug him! I also want to file on his feet a little bit. He seems a little pigeon toed on the front – Judy, kind of like Jake looked after his trim. I think it is just some flare but it is hard to tell. I will know more when I have a chance to check the bottom of his foot.

Brian brought it to my attention yesterday morning that if I was to pick a horse for myself out of those pens, Tripp would have been in my top 3. Yep, he is right!
This little horse sure is going to teach me a lot. And hopefully I return the favor and make him proud.

I will have pictures on my posts tonite....I am going to try to get caught up. :-)

Karen, who is on cloud 9!

Slumber Party Over - Bob Goes Home

It is self portrait time! Tripp doesn't mind nuzzling me with his lips as long as I am not facing him.



Well, it is Saturday morning, the day after our EMM pick up. We had HUGE storms here Thursday night and most of Friday while we were gone, so the mud is horrible. Bob got to stay with Tripp the first night because the driveway to Judy's pen was muddy and washed out. We would have been in the same boat if Brian didn't have the foresight to get a guy with a bobcat out here to scrape all the mud and manure out after the ugly winter we had.

We got Bob loaded up without much fuss, and it was kind of sad because the two dudes stuck together through this crazy unwanted adventure of theirs. I wish there was a way to let them know it will be okay.
We could not get the truck out because the mud was too slick. Brian got the tractor out and pulled the truck and trailer out to the driveway. Whew!

We got Bob home and unloaded in his new pen, and we watched that guy trot...or should I say float? He is beautiful! He is nervous because he is alone - us 2 leggeds don't count as company to a mustang - yet! Brian and I got to meet Judy and Ron's critters - there are a bunch of them out there. The special meeting was with with Earl and Jake. I had heard so much about them and finally got to meet them.

We then headed home and once there I got my chair, reading material and some hay ready. I was going to sit out there and I decided that Tripp was going to like me as much as I like him. The hay was beside my feet and he didn't have any problems eating. I flipped around my newspaper and made noise and he would jump a little bit, but nothing big.

Later that day I went back out and got a hold of his lead rope. He did so good with it! I really expected him to take off the minute he felt me tug on it. He did get away from me once on day two, but other than that the minute he would hit the end of it and I planted my feet, he would turn around. I would pull steady one direction and he would move his feet, then we would do it on the other side. I was more than pleased.

So far so good!

Friday the 13th - Pick up of EMM horses

Bob (bay) and Tripp (black) getting ready for their slumber party.


Our pick up day has finally got here! Woo hoo! Judy and I met at Quik-Trip at 3:30 a.m. to head to Ewing, IL to pick up our EMM horses.

I met Judy thru the Yahoo Groups. She had a horse ride lined up for the pick up and it didn't work out. I offered my little stock trailer thinking I had not been picked for the EMM. It was my way of being a part of it, in addition to being a spectator at the event again this year. (Went last year and it was AWESOME!!!) Judy invited me to go along for the ride and I was as excited as I could be!
The next morning I checked my e-mail and Darlene was looking at the trainers list - MY NAME WAS ON THE LIST! There was a mix up with e-mail addresses. Holy moly, now I was going along for the ride with Judy to get my own horse! Unbelievable!

In our group there was Judy and myself, my husband who was not originally going to go but could not handle me having all the fun (I am glad he went - it was because of him I had the guts to put in my application), and Angela and her daughter Jessi. It was a very fun group!

We arrived and found out that Darlene and her posse (Michelle and Katlyn I think it was...let me know if this isn't right) had been there waiting on us so we could all meet. That was very nice - they had a long drive ahead of them! Thanks you guys!

Judy and I got our horses. I was expecting a bay or sorrel, but found out I was paired up with a black! Whoa! For real? We found him in the pens and he is a stocky dude. I have always called his color a black bay because of the dark color, but brown under the pits, etc. Whatever you call it - it is beautiful!

I jokingly had been calling my horse Tripp because I didn't want to trip and fall at the event in front of everyone and embarrass my horse! HA! I figured I would officially name him after I met him. Well, once I saw him I realized this little mustang is going to take me on the trip of my life - so Mustang Tripp is his name.

Tripp got to ride with Bob on the way home. Bob got his name due to his bob tail - another critter must have chewed it off. Bob is a beautiful horse too! They got to have a slumber party the first night because of all the rain we had in mid Missouri. I think it was good for them because they got to settle down a little bit. I will admit I was worried about how they were going to act after they were split up the next day, but all went well.

I am very excited about Tripp and the journey we are going to experience together. Oh yeah, both horses ate out of our hands no more than 10 minutes after being unloaded! Gotta like that!

Will write more later.....

Karen C.
Mid-MO

Message by carrier pigeon with mysterious hoofprint for a signature...

(My husband knows how I love the stories from the mustangs point of view, even tho they upset me - I wish they could continue to run free without human intervention. Brian helped Tripp write this, and they threw in a little humor to make me smile. It worked!)


Dear Long Hair 2 Legger,

As you're reading this I'm bouncing along in a trailer that smells of sweat, hay, rust, and good poop ;-) ! I'm making my way to you although I don't truly realize it yet. All the others keep whispering back and forth, well it's not exactly whispering but you get my point. They just keep saying the same thing over and over... Why? Why? Why? We were moving from our winter ranges down to get some fresh greens in the lower ranges when the thunder bird came over the hill. We were terrified but we stuck together, sure that we could outrun anything that came for us. We didn't realize that the wall of brush was really a wall until it was too late. Then there was nothing but the screams of my herdmates as we milled about with nowhere to go. I've been through a lot over these last few weeks but now the whispering has changed. For the first time there is a glimmer of something different. As we ride along every now and again I get short glimpses of small herds of my brothers and sisters. They're walking and eating among tall grass. Grazing with a look of bliss on their face. I can only dream of that again for now.

Imagine my shock! I actually saw a 2 legger on the back of one of my brethren. At least it looked like one of them, for all I know it was a large long ear with lopped off ears that had been shaved, everyone knows long ears are stupid! You won't catch me letting that happen! But now I see a female 2 legger and she's nuzzling what looks to be a mare and her foal. This just doesn't make sense. Doesn't she realize that 2 leggers will chase you? The mare is letting the 2 legger hold her head. HELLOOOOOO!! What is she THINKING!!! Ok, Ok, now I KNOW they put something in the water we've been drinking. I'm seeing things. But it still makes me wonder. I hear the others whispering again as we slow down. I see hundreds of my brethren standing around big piles of dead grass. They stare longingly down the hill watching the sway of the long grass in the breeze.

Do I know you're coming for me? Not really. Right now I'm just afraid. I have so many questions. What if you're like all the other 2 leggers? What if you try to touch me? What if you try to EAT ME! Will I be alone or will I have herdmates? Will I ever get to walk the long grass again feeling it tickle my belly or roll in it just to smell how sweet the grass is?

The gate's open... there are 2 leggers with sticks and they have what looks like a flapping tail on them, it's flopping around making a horrible racket. At last there's an opening and I jump into the daylight! I'm surrounded by my brethren again. So many different smells! We shuffle around trying to get a sense of where we are. I smell the stack of dead grass, it might not be as bad as it looks... I said MIGHT...

Here I am... I am alone... while surrounded by hundreds... fear in my heart and mind... I'm waiting for you and don't even know it... Come for Me...

Wishing You Long Life with Long Grass,

Tripp