Bolinhas Pequenas
Difficult to find the right words to describe this horse…. I hope I can do her justice;
She is so much more than a horse, a very big personality and an incredibly beautiful soul. She touches people, someone once said “this horse goes straight into to my heart.”
Bolinhas is old, wise and calm. She has this aura about her that makes you stop and stare. She is the perfect mindfulness guide, she takes you by the hand and shows you just how easy it is just to be in the present. Something about her that captures your attention and keeps it.
Due to an old untreated injury, she is blind in her right eye. But if we didn’t tell, you probably wouldn’t notice. It doesn’t really show and she doesn’t let it bother her. She has chosen Loretta, the black beauty, as her guide horse and very often you will find Loretta close to Bolinhas on the right hand side. As in fact happens in most of these photos!
I always remind people to keep chatting to her when they are handling her, just so she knows at all times where you are. Either chat I or keep a hand on her, this is also a good way to make sure she knows your whereabouts.
She has a brand on her that tells us she is a pure bred Lusitano. We have not been able to determine her exact age but from what we know she is way over 20. Not a spring chicken!
She is not ridden anymore but comes out in hand occasionally and sometimes takes small kids out on the trail. It gives her purpose and makes her feel part of the working crew!
As a character she is very friendly, stays out of harms way in the herd, she is never mean to the other horses. I have never once seen her pin her ears at a person!
At food times she is funny; everyday, twice a day our horses get a meal of hay cobs to supplement the varying quality of hay. We feed them always after poo picking the paddock. While we clean, Bolinhas is there, walking next to the wheelbarrow all the way, occasionally nudging us and looking at the feed. “Is it done yet? The feed is that way! C’mooooon!”
