The Friendly Beasts

Today we walked to Aberforest near Dinas, down a small stream & waterfall to the seaside, then back to the road and home on the bus. Early in the walk we passed this field where these seven Shetland ponies were grazing at a distance. Ceridwen called to them and to my surprise, they hurried right over to us, as you see them here.

I generally think of these tiny horses as having long, shaggy manes that hang over their eyes, and as being very clean, as though they were in a fairy tale. These were wearing plenty of mud and were not combed or groomed, but every important thing about them made them easy to love.

They were healthy and playful, they enjoyed being petted and scratched on the head, and they took a keen interest in little Casey, our canine guide whose small stature complimented that of the ponies. These sweet beasts stand about three feet tall. The tops of their heads are waist-high, and they have cute little ears. It's funny because I can remember a demonstration I was at many years ago where we faced off with a line of mounted state police. I remember reaching as high as I could and placing my palm against a horse's chest, between its front legs. The top of its head must have been ten feet up. It was of the same species as these love bugs.

It was a treat to encounter these seven scruffy dwarves on a mild day in the country.