I’m getting to know Rocky and his routines. He is a hider. If a stranger shows up or there is a strange sound near the barn, he vanishes. He hides behind the fallen barn, or in a valley down the hill. In mid-day, he goes into his new stall. Sometimes he loves the rain, sometimes not. He gets a small about of sweetfeed once a day. He seems quite healthy, despite his blindless, able to navigate his pasture and his new stall. When Maria or I come in, he no longer runs and hides. He is often in the corner of the stall away from the flies and the strong sun. More and more, he moves his snout around to find me, to nuzzle me. He is a creature of routine, and it is very clear that his 15 years out in the pasture did not harm him in any way.

Rocky reminds us again that animals are adaptable, they do not always need us as much we need to think that they do.