The Horse’s Eye

Posted on July 15, 2011 by Carol Buchanan

Reflection in a horse's eye

Self-Portrait in a Horse's Eye

The horse, I’ve read, has the largest eye of any land mammal. I believe it. It’s big enough to see into the distance, to catch sight of predators in time to run away, even while grazing. A horse has a long face, on purpose to allow him to graze and walk all day, yet still watch for danger. His mouth can tear grass stems near the roots of tall grasses while his eye sees the coyote or the wolf far off. A horse likes plenty of space around him when he grazes. That way enemies can’t sneak up so well.

He sees in the dark far better than we do. If you’re ever out after dark on a horse, let him carry you home. He knows where to go and will get you there as safely as possible. You’ll have to help him by calming his fears, opening gates, etc. but he’ll keep his part of the bargain.

When I first met Gus (pictured here), I was drawn to him. Why, I didn’t know. Not then. But at the risk of seeming all touchy-feely and verging into the paranormal (not my thing at all), an inner voice said, “Your horse is here.” Out in the field the other horses crowded around (a potentially dangerous situation, by the way). Gus, who had been off by himself a few yards, raised his head and looked at me.

I walked toward him, drawn by a feeling I couldn’t put a name to. When I got close, he stepped around me a little, flattened his ears and snaked his head toward the other horses. They promptly backed off, even the great Belgian who outweighed Gus by several hundred pounds. In horse talk, he claimed me. I’ve been his human ever since, in our ninth year.

He has a generous eye, big and kind and friendly. In this picture, the rounded shape in the middle is my head. It’s a good place to be, reflected in the calm eye of a horse.

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About Carol Buchanan

Stories of courageous men and women forced to make dangerous choices to survive in the West. At home in NW Montana, surrounded by national forests, wilderness areas, and the Spine of the Continent.
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3 Responses to The Horse’s Eye

  1. John Putnam says:
    July 17, 2011 at 1:09 pm

    Carol, I am really impressed. You have an extremely deep understanding of horses. It’s something that used to be very important to people but is becoming a lost art, especially in big cities like I live in.

    Just think, if enough people rode horses or horse carts today, instead of driving cars, how many of our world’s unsolvable problems would simply disappear.

    I think Gus is one lucky horse to have a friend like you.
    John

    • Carol Buchanan says:
      July 18, 2011 at 11:49 am

      Hey, John, I’ve been saying that if gas prices get worse, I can always resort to my hay-burner instead of the gas-burner. Trouble is, he’s not exactly bomb-proof for car horns, etc. Gus has two friends, actually. A friend of mine had to sell her horse, but she lets Gus stay at her place rent-free in return for mowing her pasture. He does a good job. He’s plumping up for winter already. He has taught me a lot about horses, and that knowledge transfers into the books. Thanks for the comment!

    • Carol Buchanan says:
      August 2, 2011 at 1:24 pm

      Thank you, John. Writing the kind of stories I write, some knowledge of equine behavior seems necessary to me. I’ve tossed aside too many novels of the West that in which characters never fed, watered, or rested their mounts. Of course, in this I have to give my father credit. Every time we watched a Western on TV he’d erupt: “We NEVER just tied the horse to the hitching rail. We stabled him first, made sure he was fed, watered, and rested, and then went about our business. Without the horse we were on foot.”

      Thanks for saying Gus is a lucky horse. I think I’m the lucky one because he has taught me nearly everything i know about horses, and teaches me more every time I’m with him.