I’M JUST CURIOUS – The Wandering Nanas: backyard home training

by Debbie Walker

No, the horse wasn’t getting trained. It was me and Nana Dee who were receiving the training. The following is the beginning of this story:

Nana Dee and I were visiting with my daughter, Deana about 10 p.m. Suddenly, usually quiet dogs, the two dogs of our family were going nuts at the back door. Crazy, I have never seen them carry on like that before. Deana and Todd, however, knew they didn’t like something going on in the back yard. Todd was awakened by the barking, he came to the door practically walking in his sleep, he looked out the back door. I don’t think his eyes were really open yet! Deana looked out a window and right into the face of the intruder, our neighbor’s white mare, Silver.

This past spring when the folks moved in, we all discovered the horse’s fence was not nearly as solid as they were led to believe when they bought the place. Silver has been here to visit several times since her first visit. That first visit was a real shocker, saying it was a surprise was an understatement.

Silver has visited us a few times but not lately. I kind of missed seeing her out here in the back yard. I had told Nana Dee that I had even wondered, “Wouldn’t Jackie please let her come over for a visit? I was completely forgetting when you wish for things you must be very specific. I should have added “in the daylight.” I believe I have now learned.

The night of the ‘visit’ Nana Dee and I learned the steps to take when Silver decides to visit (escape). We make sure she is okay. One of us keeps an eye on her and the other calls her people and prays we can reach them! We still are not sure what to do if they are unreachable. Silver is quite content to eat the green grass here, of course, the fact that she may get carrots and/or apples in the visit seems to go over well with her.

The story continues when we saw a flashlight coming through the woods with her people ready to retrieve her. You can tell she knows they are coming. She picks up her head in recognition and then back to eating this grass.

Our training of back yard horses complete, we now know what to do. We just may not hurry her off. I now am reminded of the time of day I will wish for her to visit us. I definitely need to wish for the before sundown time frame.

I’m just curious if you have any critter training sessions in your past. Please contact me at dwdaffy@yahoo.com with your questions and comments. I’ll be waiting! Have a great week!

P.S. I decided to add some PHILOSOFACTS I got from the Farmer’s Almanac:

Years may wrinkle the skin, but lack of enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.

Aspire to inspire before you expire.

Optimism is when a tea kettle can be up to its neck in hot water and still sing.

Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are.

THE END for today!