Like many across the country this week, we're seeing unseasonably (soon to become normal?) warm temperatures here in New Hampshire. One of our sighted horses, Blueberry, has taken to enjoying the pond as a way to cool off. We've had Blueberry for a decade now -- I think we introduced her in our very first newsletter way back when as a "staff member," whose job was to be the seeing eye horse leading our (then) few blind horses around. Pretty soon we had enough blind horses that we began pairing them off, and Blueberry preferred not being a nanny anyway. Now over 30 years old, she's retired from doing anything except whatever she wants to do ... which on hot days means going for a swim in the pond. (No, she's not going to drown or get into trouble -- don't worry! And that pond is in full view of the house just above.)
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That is an absolutely beautiful picture! I would love to have it on my wall! The scenery and mtns in the background are breath taking and you have captured the loveliness of the horse, which with your telling of her 30+ years makes it more endearing.
A picture is worth a thousand words, so I'll "shut up" now and let the picture speak ...
Posted by: Lisa K. from CA | June 10, 2011 at 06:09 PM
Blueberry looks like she is enjoying herself!! You may need to take the hose to the blind horses to cool them off. The green hills look gorgeous. You have all the heat and back here in Montana we are flooding everywhere! At least once it quits raining; we will have all that lush greenage for a little while anyway. :)
Posted by: Laura, Levi & Timmy | June 10, 2011 at 04:10 PM
Blueberry... yeah, girlfriend! You've got it made in the shade.... er wading pool!!!
Posted by: Penny | June 10, 2011 at 03:50 PM
How sweet! I didn't know they liked to go in for a swim or just to stand! How neat there is a place to do that! I should be so lucky in my retirement.
Posted by: Mircat | June 10, 2011 at 11:55 AM
I love this gorgeous picture. Blueberry, your retirement center is the absolute Ritz! This picture shows the serene beauty and peace of RDF!
Posted by: Angela | June 10, 2011 at 11:08 AM
Another great reason to smile. Great idea Blueberry! That "retirement" idea is inspiring!
Posted by: Margaret | June 10, 2011 at 11:07 AM
I would have gladly gone swimming with Blueberry, but would she have been happy about me?? I wished I had had (no I didn't stutter) a pond in my back yard these past several days. The NE is not supposed to be this hot. For this type of heat, I'd have stayed in San Antonio! Blueberry is one smart and lucky gal! :) :)
Posted by: Kathleen Rivard | June 10, 2011 at 10:40 AM
I love this picture, and the thought of Blueberry cooling off i the pond! Thank you for sharing this with all of us.
Posted by: Claudia Folt | June 10, 2011 at 09:15 AM
You can almost hear her say "Ohhh, ohhh, chilly, chilly, ahhh, that feels so goooood, mmmm!!" And to whoever thought to name a horse Blueberry...very cute!! At 30 she deserves some aquatherapy on a hot day. Wish I were there to go in with her.
Posted by: Anne in FL | June 10, 2011 at 08:34 AM
What a lovely sight! We have scottish cattle nearby in a "natural" pasture, with a pond and yesssss.... they cool off like this too - it looks so nice that I'd join them if they weren't so big ;-)
Posted by: Jessica, NL | June 10, 2011 at 08:07 AM
Smart girl, Blueberry.
Posted by: Janet in Cambridge | June 10, 2011 at 07:49 AM
What a lucky gal! And what a lovely picture...
Thank you, Steve, for sharing these "glad moments" with all of us.:-)
Posted by: Carla Polastro-Nigro | June 10, 2011 at 03:56 AM
Those of us on the east coast are certainly sweltering, that's for sure! Looks like Blueberry sure has the right idea for cooling off on a hot summer day :)
Posted by: Ann | June 10, 2011 at 01:54 AM
Looks like the perfect horse spa to me!
BTW, Steve, do you put out a kiddie pool with a couple inches of water for the dogs to stand in when it's this hot? We've had dogs that love to just stand in shallow water to they cool themselves through their footpads (and through panting, of course).
Posted by: Roxie | June 10, 2011 at 01:53 AM
Well...it looks like sometime you can lead a horse to water and they do know what to do!!!
Posted by: Shirley * James/Portland, OR | June 09, 2011 at 11:32 PM
Lucky Blueberry, having a cool pool all to herself! She makes a beautiful picture, too.
Posted by: Moon Rani | June 09, 2011 at 11:28 PM
What a lovely and serene picture. Thank you for sharing that.
Posted by: Ev | June 09, 2011 at 10:27 PM