The day his imagination got away from him...

It came as no surprise that Nox liked to graze on the fresh grass outside, but I was amused by his enthusiasm for it.  The first few times I turned him out in the outdoor ring, he just stood and looked around at the grass growing along the edges and in the corners, like he was waiting for my permission.  I shooed him off and he attacked the grass with gusto, grazing on it for as long as I'd let him.

One day, Nox was stretching his nose through the fence boards out to the very tall grass growing in the nearby ditch.  I watched him tear at the grass and weeds, greedily taking big mouthfuls at a time.  He bit off a very large clump and pulled his head back through the fence to chew it.  Two or three very long blades of grass waved behind his head as he chewed, and he paused, turning his head suspiciously.  The grass waved and bobbed behind him as he moved and he started nervously walking away, still chewing.  The grass followed him, brushing his neck and popping up behind him.  Suddenly, Nox broke out running and bucking, frightened by the scary things that he thought were trying to attack him!   

He looked around for me, the grass still in his mouth and the long pieces flying.  I walked out into the ring and he stopped, eyes wide and nostrils flared.  I grabbed the long pieces and pulled them out of his mouth, admonishing him for being silly and greedy.  Nox stood there and seemed to chew the rest of his mouthful thoughtfully, and then calmly went back to grazing in the corner, the crisis over.

Have I mentioned how much I love him?              

Nox grazing in the sunshine.