The Filly's First Week
- Amy Herdy
- Jun 9
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 9
It's hard to believe that just a week ago Lina's filly slickly entered the world and soon stood on wobbly legs, trying to figure out how all four of them worked.
Since then, her world has expanded dramatically.
This week she graduated from the stall to the horse paddock we call "The Play Pen" to the large adjoining pasture, where she discovered that not only can she canter, she has a whole near gear called "gallop."
What began as tentative, awkward steps quickly turned into exuberant sprints, complete with flying tails, tiny bucks, and sudden bursts of speed that seemed to surprise even her.
Like all babies, curiosity appears to be her primary occupation. Everything must be investigated. A large rock in the pasture? Worth tasting. The water tank? Worth sticking her tongue into. Grass? Worth nibbling, especially if Mom is doing it. She puts her face into everything and walks around wearing the dirty proof.
She's also becoming increasingly independent. Several times this week I've watched her wander off on her own adventures while Lina grazed peacefully nearby, only to see Lina suddenly lift her head, realize her baby has wandered off, and hustled over to retrieve her. The filly, meanwhile, seems completely confident that the world is hers to explore.
One of her favorite discoveries has been the chickens, which occasionally cross her path in the paddock. She watches them with intense fascination, as though trying to solve a great mystery. She also bravely met Hoss, the farm dog, who seemed delighted to have a new friend his size (sorry, Hoss, she won't be your size for too long).
At the end of each day, however, adventure gives way to exhaustion. As evening settles in, mare and filly return to the stall, where the foal collapses into the straw and sleeps in that deep way that only a baby can manage.
In just one week, she has gone from a newborn learning to stand to a spirited little explorer discovering her place in the world. It's a good reminder to look around with the fresh eyes of wonder.
We can't wait to see what she teaches us next.
Lina, the most patient mare ever, and her new filly
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