The funniest things can happen in the Canterbury Plains of New Zealand!
Today, I rushed home from work because I was expecting the hoof care lady. As I approached the far corner of the farm in my car, I saw the horses grazing right there, far, far away from the barn. So when the hoof care lady arrived, I suggested she drive down to the horses and trim their feet right there in the paddock. She happily agreed and off we went.
Katarina with her horses
The corner of that paddock is at a four-way country road intersection. While the lady was trimming my horses’ hooves, a couple of guys with pine branches in their hands positioned themselves all around the intersection. The horses got a bit suspicious, as it did look like a gathering of predators, and to make it even more mysterious, they were all wearing high viz jackets in bright orange! Some vehicles with flashing lights were positioned at strategic points and I had the feeling that some sort of stock movement was going to happen. I promised the hoof care lady that I would tell her as soon as I saw or heard anything so that she could get herself to a safe place just in case one of the horses got a fright. I jokingly added, "I will let you know as soon as the elephant herd arrives!". Then, we both agreed that the horses would let us know well before either of us could hear or see anything. We were wrong on all points!
The amazing Bison
Out of the blue, four gorgeous, fully grown Bison (American Buffalos) came galloping down the road. The ‘predators’ at the intersection jumped into action, making the buffalos move down the road to the right. Both of my horses moved their feet a little and grew about two feet taller. But they must have recognized the smell and movement of the buffalos and settled down immediately. These very same buffalos were once my horses’ paddock neighbours when we lived further down the road. They are a rare sight in New Zealand and I was privileged to observe their behaviour for more than half a year, as I lived in a caravan right next door to their grazing grounds. Buffalos in many ways are very similar to wild horses; they are amazingly agile, fast, can turn on a dime and jump just like a horse. What a lovely treat for me and my horses to meet our old neighbours, even if it was just on the run!
Posted by Sharon Parbery
Volunteer Correspondent, Parelli Social Media (Australia/NZ)
Volunteer Correspondent, Parelli Social Media (Australia/NZ)
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