Elizabeth Anglin

Yes.  I read to my horse.  Last year I read parts of "Comanche Moon" to him during the darkest part of winter.  Yes. I read Larry McMurtry books to my horse.  Mainly because I like them.  Tonight's selection, "All of My Friends Will be Strangers" made me pause to think about this particular choice.  The main character was talking about women in a somewhat reverent and and also derogatory way,  and I wondered.. "How much of this is my horse understanding?"  I tried to visualize parts of the first chapter in horse terms, applying thoughts of male/female horse behavior over the top of the human descriptions of attraction and desire for bonding. 

I gave up as the story became even more complicated and "human" in nature.  A page before the end of the chapter I heard my horse say quite clearly  "Why don't you stop doing that and come in here (my stall) and brush me?"

I finished reading him the chapter (since it was only a page to the end) and then brushed him.  I felt a strange sensation of being laughed at for trying to horse-ize a human story, or just for the fact that I was reading to him and not brushing him. 

But I can accept a little horse mirth over choosing to read first and then brush.  Winter is long and reading is something to do together as the snow outside becomes six feet deep.

I might switch to Black Stallion books, though.  Maybe I'll read "Seabiscuit" next.

I don't think he'll mind.