Dirt: A Love Story

There was a time, back when I was young and lived in North Dakota, that I used dirt or mud to protect myself from the flies, from the cold, or just because a thorough rub on the ground felt good and getting coated in dirt was the byproduct.

After Mother moved me to Ohio, I found that getting muddy was still fun, although not strictly necessary for insect protection, as she sprays me with fly spray when necessary. But it feels good, and most importantly, getting dirty usually meant I would get a good brushing later.

Unclean

 

then...

 Clean

Unfortunately, now a good roll in the mud means I am going to be sitting with my coat in little spikes until Mother gets around to brushing me. She has been a little lax in the grooming department. When I saw her Friday and pointed out my few little dried mud-y bits, she sighed and said she didn't have time.

Yesterday... well, at least she fed me. Although she even messed that up! She tried to fed me my dinner dry again, and I let her know that was only a kindness on my part and she better not slip out of making me my hot dinner gruel! I let her know by leaving some of my grain and funny supplement bits in the bottom of the pan for fat donkey to consume.

Today she stopped up in the late afternoon, and I was all set for a nice massage and grass time and dinner, the works. Well, best laid plans. No sooner had she put my halter on and led me out of the run-in, Mother got a phone call. She took off my halter and gave me some Herballs and then just left me there. Whhaaaat??? I was nice and dirty, too, Mother...

She came back after dark, and put me on the lawn while she made my dinner. She must have learned her lesson about dry dinner, because it was perfect~ hot and just the right amount of sloppiness... Yummm!! After dinner she put me in the crossties and realized I was even dirtier than when she had seen me in the afternoon.  Well, yes, Mother, I went out and anger-rolled.

Anyway, she gave me a really good currying, although some of the spiked mud-y parts now are a bit wavy and funny looking.

She gave me one of the absolutely decadent muffiny cookies when she left, so I guess it is OK about that weird catch and release thing that happened earlier today. She can do that every day, if it means she'll still come back later and brush me and give me dinner and the yummy-yummy cookies. I next to never get one of those...

sigh

And what about my massage?