Playing and Learning.

I love watching the foals and youngsters playing, and today was one of those moments where I managed to see the yearling chasing the foal, chased by two year old and all watched by the 10 month colt.  The mothers just carried on munching on the haylage bales, as these three just went round and round, looped down to the next bale and back again, out across the field and out of sight.  The yearling could obviously out run the foal but didn't, and the two year old could out run them all and didn't.  Back they ran later,  easing off the pace as through the overgrown hedge (natural made squeeze game)  and over the stream.   The herd offers comfort and protection, a safe environment to learn respect and manners, giving rise to confidence, trust, bonding and inquisitiveness and people wonder why I don't wean.  The best lessons are taught and learnt in the herd, far better than any of us can teach, and less stress all round.