Photo by Audrey Pavia
Rio meets a shuddery balloon .
Not much frightens my 3 - 1/2 - class - old Spanish Mustang , Rio . He will barge up to just about any unknown object , grab it in his mouth , and shake it until it breaks . When it comes to a balloon , however , it ’s another history .
Rio ’s first encounter with balloon came a yoke of months ago while on the trail . I was ponying him ( leading him as I rode ) when we spotted a few glinting Mylar balloon tied to the trail fencing . They were intended to serve party guests find their way of life to the right private road , but as far as Rio was touch , they were horse - wipe out monsters that were waiting for him to take the air by so they could pig him in their shiny mouths .
My normally brave gelding take a hit loudly and firmly engraft his feet , defy to move . It took a slew of inveigle and an case set by my friend ’s horse , Teddy , to win over Rio to take the air past the scary , floating brute .
For my birthday , I received four Mylar balloons from a friend . After letting them live in my bedroom for a yoke of hebdomad , I decided to take them outside so Rio could see them . The helium was still working , so the balloon were still float at the oddment of their ribbon .
When I first walked outside with the balloons , all the sawhorse ’ ears pick up up . The chickens ran for the hencoop , terrified , which did nothing to calm Rio . As I approached his stall , he ran to the back turning point , snorting and spinning . I tied them to the runway of his paddock while he eddy and gallop , adjudicate to miss .
I stood next to the weird , floating thing and tapped them with my hand , all the while utter to Rio and telling him there was nothing to fear . He did n’t believe me for the first 10 minutes , and proceed to take a hit and spin . When he would cease to reckon at the balloons , I discover he had grow much marvellous . His 14.1 - bridge player top abruptly appeared more like 16 .
But just like a cat , Rio ’s curiosity get the best of him . He slowly begin to creep toward the balloons , his musculus taught and ready for flight at the slightest incitement . presently , he was sniffing the balloons from a space . They move in response to the puff of air of air come from his nostrils , which made him ill-use backward with a snort .
Then , just like that , Rio decided these thing had room too much potential as toys to be afraid of them . His fright short left him , and he begin batting the balloons around with his upper lip . Soon , the balloons were banging him in the head and whip all around in response to his pummeling . He could have worry less .
I took a few pictures of him as he gradually destroyed each of the balloon . They had handle to survive two weeks of helium departure but were no equal for Rio ’s tooth . By the clip he break the last one , he had decide they tasted unspoiled , and I had to drop my television camera and bolt into his kiosk to displume the dead balloons out of his mouth .
Despite my efforts , I am still worried about running into balloons on the lead . Not because Rio will be scared of them , but because now , he reckon they ’re edible .
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