Dottie & Diana
Our wonderful volunteer Diana sent us an email about Dottie. Anyone who has met Dottie will tell you that Diana has described her to a tee. We are very lucky to have a lovely friend to visit with Dottie in her foster home and these great photos by Jessica to share with you. Here is what Diana wrote about Dottie:
Dottie is a true friend. That is the best way I can sum her up. It sounds so simple, maybe even trite, but she is a friend in the most earnest of ways. She is a mare that has clearly been through many difficulties in her life and yet she still has this willingness and hopefulness to love and to be loved.
When Dottie is emotionally comfortable (in her pasture, with a well-accepted person or horse), she is a peaceful, quiet, happy girl. She rarely makes a peep, other than a sigh! She is so content to be groomed (as long as you are slow and gentle) and she loves to be hugged and cuddled. She’ll cuddle you right back.
She is a little selective when it comes to choosing friends. Dottie is truly an introvert. I think she guards herself as anyone would who has withstood hardships in life. She is a bit nervous when I bring strangers to meet her. She is uncertain when she is put with new horses. But when she decides she has found a friend, she is profoundly loyal.
Watching Dottie with her new pasture-mate, Ritchie, is a true joy. They have accepted each other as buddies and herd-mates. They groom each other and move across the pasture totally in sync. While Ritchie is very possessive of Dottie and would rather I never got in between them, Dottie has made it clear that she does not want to abandon me as her herd-mate just because she has Ritchie now. To Ritchie’s dismay, Dottie will sometimes leave his side to be with me, and it even seems like she tries to include me in their herd! There it is: Dottie’s incredible loyalty.
I have been indescribably honored to be one of her chosen friends. The loyalty and affection that Dottie shows me is a huge gift, and I know that she has more and more friendship within her just waiting to be shared with new people and new horses.
-
- Dottie & Pasture mate Ritichie
