Salutory Horse Gas?
Okay, I was going to say “horse farts” but it just seemed uncivilized. Both of our horses have what I would consider a peculiar habit. Each time we let them in the barn they lift their tails and pass gas as they walk by us. What is THAT all about? Is this some kind of horse greeting I’m just supposed to know about or are they trying to insult me? I’m sure “horse gas” is what I’m smelling too because I can hear it escaping as they walk passed me. If you’re offended by horse gas, stop reading now, as it only gets worse. I remember reading something about the ozone layer and how methane from cow gas was causing measurable damage to the atmosphere. I’m not surprised if that’s true because my 1,000-pound horse can almost cause me to lose consciousness. I no longer wonder about the cause of all the barn fires in the olden days. Farmers used lanterns with flames! What were they thinking? It’s a wonder we don’t hear more about EXPLOSIONS in the barns of yesteryear with all that methane floating around.
But seriously, they don’t seem gassy (is that a word?) all the time we’re around them, just when we let them in for oats at night. I suppose it has something to do with the grass they’re eating during the day out in the pasture. Or maybe my neighbors are playing a joke on us by feeding our horses burritos. Haha, funny, I get it. Please stop now.
Note to self – let horses in early when romantic evenings are planned.