Horses have always been seen as a majestic and noble animal, perhaps because they were used by noblemen, soldiers and the like for centuries in our past. They became associated with important roles and duties, and rendered a valuable service to humanity, particularly before motorized vehicles were invented.
Horse power rules the way
Our entire lives depended on horses for transport back in our past, over 100 years ago. Few of us can really comprehend just how vital they were to our lives, since modern civilization has moved on so much since then. Still, the horse retains its
noble stature and demeanor by dint of its size, power and speed.
In more rural areas horses are still a prize possession and need to be maintained and looked after. No other animal – besides perhaps the elephant, has the ability to convey us around with such speed and ease. And only a few countries have elephants, but we all have horses somewhere in our history, if not presently in our neighborhood.
The compliant sheep
Sheep, on the other hand, have no noble stature or characteristics. They are a different breed altogether. Yet I’ve noticed how a ram will prefer the company of a horse in the field, even above his own fellow sheep. There is no real comparison or connection -besides diet - and yet the ram insists on hanging out with the horses. He likes to stand in their shadow during the day, in order to keep cool.
In late winter or early Spring the lambs are born. And like the horse, they can stand and run about almost instantly. What a difference compared to humans who have to spend years achieving that level of ability. Obviously this is a matter of survival for our four-legged companions in the wild.
I was recently at a rural farm setting nearby where the horses were having their hooves cleaned by some experts. The boss told me that he looks after about 600 horses in this general area and so is maxxed out with jobs all year long. It made me realize just how much the horse is still in use and favored among the locals in the rural area nearby.
Sheep are also kept on smallholdings here, presumably for wool. We love to see the cute little lambs who are so lively and cuddly, yet we think nothing of eating them on any day of the week. Except vegetarians like myself, of course. We love to see them nurtured and don’t have the heart to kill them so we maintain our ethical and moral integrity by also not eating their bodies.
Perhaps as a vegetarian you might be the black sheep of the family, pun intended. Here we can see lambs who are both black and white, though most are usually white, and with this breed the head may sometimes be black. So is he a white sheep with a black head or a black sheep with a while body? After all, the head is black and you are known by where your head is at.
The ram’s body is totally black, though some of his woolly coat may be lighter, so he is a black sheep in white clothing. Maybe he is hiding his true feelings. Not that sheep are worried about that kind of thing. They simply follow along like docile sheep. Except the ram. He sometimes butts heads with others and even butts me sometimes when I walk past. That was just a phase though. Maybe it was mating season. What a hard-headed character, the battering ram.
Our loyal friend the dog
Now dogs are another story. They were and remain man’s best friend, although I’m sure the horse would have once qualified for that position. Dogs are, however, apparently more social and loyal to their humans, so they appear more like friends. And so they are. They will serve and defend you, and seek out your company as if you were one of their own.
Most people own a dog, or sometimes two or three. I would guess there are more dogs than humans in this town, since most people have more than one dog at home. I see them everywhere. It’s hard to imagine how it must be in other parts of the world, but here the suburban life of the middle class involves having dogs at home. It’s also a very practical means of security in this crime ridden South Africa. So these domesticated creatures have their uses.
Free as a bird
The birds, on the other hand, have very little use, and most are free, as they should be. Some, however, become quite tame by themselves and like to pull in for a snack whenever they can. More than once, I’ve seen them just walk right into the house, hop on the counter and expect some snacks. If I had to be an animal, I would choose to be a bird, since they symbolize freedom and independence, thanks to their gift of flight. I would be an eagle, soaring higher than most. What kind of animal would you identify as?
(photos my own)