A brief message from Minna
I walked around a corner into the main square of the stable yard. As I headed down one side of the square that is mostly made up of single stable boxes around a central set of open corrals, I saw Minna standing at the bar to her box (stable) which is in the corner facing me as I walk. It is summer, so the door is fully open, and only a wooden bar across the gap keeps her in. I could see she was looking at me, so I no doubt unconsciously began the greeting ritual: nodding at her, blowing gently, beginning to raise one down-turned hand etc. As I approached, she lowered her head, put one front leg forward, then the other. Then she put her muzzle on one knee, and then on the other. As I drew close to her, I bent down to look. I noticed some cuts just above the fetlock. I gently stroked down her left foreleg, holding my hand on her knee for a moment. It was then that I noticed that her lips were touching the top of my head, then they were at my shoulder (which was very close...