Love Triangle

Just when I thought things were really peaceful on the ranch again...

Everyone and everything seemed to be settling in nicely after the big ranch resident turnover this summer. K and P were in their groove, K's furry pal Jackson was transitioning smoothly from a sweet little terrier into a coyote-chasing, burr-covered, rough and tumble beast and even P's adoptee Enzo seemed to be getting over his trouble-making puppy days. This black lab was known as Devil Dog for a while, crashing wedding parties held at the event space at a neighboring ranch, eating the lunches of all the nursery workers next door. (They had to start hanging them on trees and even then, the first time, they didn't hang them high enough. "I'm surprised they didn't hang Enzo!" I thought.) Finally, P decided Enzo couldn't be left alone unsupervised and closed off the orchard next to their house.

The H Brothers at the back of the ranch were having fun shooting guns (oh, no!), building tree platforms, kennels... And their Maddie, , a gentle blue-nosed pitbull, was often left in the front orchard with Enzo. It made me smile to see the two of them lying side by side on Enzo's bed.

Kody and Bingo, K's two horses, were keeping the pastures nice and tidy, too!

The average age of the ranch residents had been lowered drastically, bringing with it a youthful energy. All was good.

Then, a week or so ago, Maggie shows up.

"Kody and Maggie were together all the time at Kody's last boarding place," explained K.

"Yeah, they're real attached to each other," added her friend M, Maggie's "person."

"I'm afraid that if I put Bingo in the same pasture, Kody will try to kill him!"

Kody and Maggie (right) together again.

Maggie and Kody went up to the front pasture, while Bingo was left in the back. He was NOT a happy camper. Why do horses get such separation anxiety? And why are they so vocal about it?

Bingo places himself at the far end of the pasture to be closer to the others.

Last week, some tree trimmers were here, cutting limbs near power lines and they needed to get into the front pasture so Maggie and Kody moved to the back with Bingo for a while. And what do you know, before long, Bingo has taken Kody's place right next to Maggie.

Maggie nuzzling up to Bingo.

That's Kody, by himself on the right.

"You're a wuss, Kody," I whispered to him.

Bingo, on the other hand, is now determined to keep Maggie for himself.

After the tree trimmers were done, Kody and Maggie moved back to the front. Things seemed to be back to normal and Kody had Maggie all to himself again. But it was not to be that way for long.

"Hey, what's Bingo doing up here?"

Coming back from town yesterday, we see Bingo up near the front of the property. He's outside the horse fence, just munching some grass growing along the sides of the dirt road.

"Maybe K's out here, doing something and we just don't see her," suggested Big Dog.

When we see Enzo outside the orchard, we decide that that is what's happening.

Later, I'm watering our newly transplanted irises and looking out...oh, no! Now Bingo's all the way up to the public road! What if he gets spooked and runs off? Or worse, hit by a vehicle? I rush out there, pockets bulging with apples.

Trying to lure Bingo down to the gate didn't work at all.

"Nope. I ain't moving away from the girl!"

I work on Maggie and she eventually follows me down to the gate, with both Kody (on the inside of the fence) and Bingo (on the outside) close behind her. Bingo does not hesitate when I open the gate, but Kody is less than thrilled and makes it vocally and physically clear. Oh well. At least they are all safe in the pasture. I hope.

When I return to the back, I see that Bingo has just busted through the electric fence. What's a little shock when there's love in the air?

The H Brothers have been wanting a second dog for a while and I just gave H the Younger the green light. But now I am having second thoughts. Enzo and Maddie were getting along so well. Do we really need ANOTHER love triangle?