Horses

Fire Fighters Memorial

The Raleigh Police Department has a Mounted Patrol Division. I’d often see the mounted patrol going around the downtown area. I worried about what would happen if they ever crossed paths with the Babies. I feared the Babies would spook the horses by growling or barking at them. I also worried that they might trample over me and the Babies.


The first time Andy saw a horse, he stuck his hair up along his back. Abby wasn’t fazed. The horses were a block or two away. Andy could see them. He let out a low growl but he didn’t bark. The horses didn’t come close to us, so nothing else happened.

The second time we came across horses, we had a closer encounter. A horse was in the park where we normally take our daily walk. Fortunately, the horse was 20 yards off the circular sidewalk we went around. The moment of truth came when we approached that 20 yard mark. About that time, Andy first saw the horses. He paused, glanced and then kept walking. He didn’t growl, stick his hair up or bark. Maybe when the horses were further away, he thought they were dogs, and Andy did not like other dogs. Since this was another species, Andy was not as alert or concerned. Abby didn’t pay the horse much attention either.

The cop seemed a little tense. He zeroed in on the Babies starring at them the whole time. His horse started to make a few snorts. Luckily, the cop held the horse steady and we passed by without an incident.