I was about 5 when I scared my Dad and uncle witless.

We were out for a walk one day when I saw an interesting looking gate, so being terminally nosey I had to look and see what was on the other side.
There was a large field with trees and bushes all over the place. So many in fact that I couldn't really see a boundary to it.
I climbed over the gate to have a better look and saw a lot of horses, there were more than I had ever seen before, which probably means there were about six or seven, and I loved horses so ignoring everyone else I went for a closer look.

I remember them towering over me and I remember that they all came and stood round me as I said hello and fussed each and every one.
There was quite a variety and a good few different heights but I could reach them all so I was having a great time.
I seemed to be there ages before the calls from my Dad finally got in and made enough impression to make me realise he wanted me to come back to him.
I said something I can't remember and pushed one of the horses back out of the way so I could go back to him.
I got a good talking to for that but I didn't understand it because as far as I was concerned I was just saying hi to a bunch of friendly Horses and I did that all the time with anything that stood still long enough, it never occured to me that it might be dangerous.
To be honest it still doesn't but I did get a little bit of insight into how my Dad might have felt when my youngest daughter walked into a field full of cows past the bull and started stroking one that was lying down, I did have a small set of kittens worrying that if I disturbed the cow it might squash my daughter.
Oddly enough I called her in much the same way as my Dad had called me but I didn't tell her off like he did with me.

Zygo

Oh horses LOVE me. They take one look at me and all they want to do is get as close to me as they possibly can. It is a lot like being politely trampled to death by a ton and a half of horsey affection.
It was quite unnerving until I got used to it! No other animals do that, only horses.

From your experience you sound like animals really like you, or is it only horses for you too?

Good for you for not telling your little one off for her actions, even though you almost had your own set of kittens. She sounds level headed and kind hearted, cows can always tell.
I think you did exactly the right thing, I mean that maybe she is too young to know that her actions, while not wrong, were not strictly right either? Perhaps when she is older and you have had the chance to teach her a little caution and a regard for her own safety you can relax enough to leave the kitten bearing to the cats.
Oooh that was good wasn't it? I almost sounded like I knew what I was talking about for a minute there, didn't I?

Horses I don't know much about them at all.
I mean I know the basics, four legs, head, poo as they walk!!
But I haven't had anything to do with them, other than a few pictures on my walls as a child, and one or two ornaments.
I think I would probably have gotten any kid of mine trampled to death in the ensuing panic as I ran down the field screaming and waving my arms about, so it's probably a good job I don't have any!
Cows I know even less about than horses. Like I don't know if they also poo as they walk.

I know I would have been terrified being surrounded by a group of anything that huge. I was never much of a nature lover. I love town life, hustle and bustle, the energy from the life around me and street lamp light especially when it's foggy.

I know horses. I've had them simply gather with me, saying hello. I've never been afraid of a horse, even when i was about 3 feet high on a cantering 6 foot tall mammoth. all i did was giggle as i started to fly off. haha it was great fun. The only problem is sometimes i get the idea to chase them. Which i do with anything.

what can i say? i like to play.

cats are my favorite (haha wonder why?) but i love nature. except for squirrels. squirrels are evil.

clown squrrels are evil-er!

*shiver* uuuugh. clown squirrels! the scurge of the forest! beware their bad jokes and flying nut pies! tricky little devils...

I dislike everything about horses except their smell. I LOVE the way they smell.
I don't like the way they bully, bite, kick, rear, bolt, buck, poo when they walk!!!
But the way they smell............sweet hay and grassy, warm and 'horsey', always makes me smile.

And these are for you Katie.. I hope you like them.

........... ................
The heart and love ones you requested and the other is an added bonus, just incase you ever need an emoticon that stands for 'pure evil'.
Sorry I couldn't find a clown one Darkness, I did look but no joy! No clown squirrels anywhere.

Lady C.

HAHAH! Thats awesome! THANK YOU! wicked, absolutely wicked! i like these two the best these are definitely awesome too!

They're cool.
Thanks for looking for a clown squirrel Lady C, and thanks a whole lot more for NOT finding one.

Darkness.

I like lots of things about horses.
The way they smell, the way they move, how friendly they are, but mostly how useful they are.
There are times in your life and places in the world where a horse can be a completely invaluable asset, and in some cases can be essential.

You sound like the kind of nightmare child that only one in a few thousand parents are blessed with Zygo. Completely fearless with very little thought to the possible dangers of situations like that.
You sound to have had an unfortunate experience Lady C.

Darkness.

I am not sure where it stems from but lots of animals put an enormous amount of trust in me. Maybe they think that if they are friendly I won't eat them ...I have been called all sorts of names for it but the one I liked the most (and was supposed to be an insult) was Dr Dolittle.

I did once have a scary experience with a horse.
I walked into "his" field to go and look for frogs in "his" pond. As I walked in I said hello and said I was heading for the pond but he took complete exception to my being there and came to stand in front of me.
He had that "I am a brick wall" look and I knew he wasn't going to let me any further into "his" field so I thought better of what I was doing and went to leave.
The horse had different ideas and came round to stand between the gate and me and at that point I got a bit worried.
He wouldn't let me move out of the field.
Honestly I don't remember how I left in the end, but I never went in the field with the horse again.
I did call him a few choice names from the other side of the gate though...that showed him

You are right Darkness I was one of those children.
To be honest it took having kids and a lot of telling to get me to think about it more than I did, the last thing I would want is a child to think it's ok to walk upto any animal the way I do,unfortunately it just doesn't work the same for everyone.
My youngest is however a lot like me so she is closely watched.

Heres an equation that works in our house
+ =lunch 4 +

Thanks lady C those are great smilies.I too like the smell of horses.

Darkedesire just so you know cows do poo as they walk and copiously too.
I am also glad you have found a place where you are comfortable there are not many Kin that would find living in town comfortable but that just goes to show that even Kin are all very different.

Katie have you ever thought about trying hunting proper it might be a way of scratching the itch so to speak.

Zygo

yeah but i'm a bit squeamish about hunting. mostly because i have this part of my family that's all about killing the animals and mounting their carcasses on the wall. like, not just heads and stuff but the whole animal. I'm fine with making their fur and stuff into tools, but not decoration. I don't really like looking at a room of death when i remember being some of those creatures. I mean sure, they ate some of the meat, but it's the whole human "kill for fun, not food" thing that gets me all squishy, which is the real reason they hunt. I've never hunted before because i dont like that family and i associate hunting with them, but lately i've been wanting to try. maybe it'll help? who knows.

Well perhaps if you hunt for food it might help you get the whole thing into a better perspective for you?
I mean at least it will stop you feeling so much that you might possibly want to hunt just for the fun of it like they do. And replace that feeling with one about hunting for survival, and nourishment.

If you ever do manage to overcome your squeemishness about it I really hope it helps, as I would think that having any part of your true nature that you are not comfortable with must be really difficult.
Although hunting IS a thrill isn't it?

I know i would love the experience of the hunt (i make up my own versions as it is) but i think i'd either be too human or too animal when i did it.... whatever. I know i'd love the chase, but death is something i can't do for no reason. I've never been able to in any of my lives. I've always had to have a reason (even if that reason was just because my superiors ordered me to) but i've never killed, in any of my lives, just for fun. so at least i dont have to worry about that.

I am not into hunting for fun either i find that side of it totally abhorrent.
I do enjoy hunting with the animals but that is more about having them do what they do naturally and catching them some food along the way.
I love watching the ferrets bumbling about in a gorse bush or following a scent trail to a burrow.
As for my Owl there is just something unique about taking him out flying and having him come back to me afterwards.
He is the reason I started hunting in the first place,he started showing signs of wanting to as an owlet so I encouraged him and I bought an air rifle and ferrets a little later to try and increase his food variety.
I always hunt for food and for no other reason.
There is however a certain feeling that makes me want to hunt which I can only liken to the hunger but thats for another thread I think.

Zygo