Champagne has a kind eye

Although there doesn’t seem to be a quantifiable definition for having a “kind eye”, it seems to refer to the large, gentle, moist eye that goes along with an even temperament. Having kind eyes seems also to mean no ears laid back, no trying to bite or whack you with their head, and no rolling, squinched or whites-of-the-eyes eyeballs.

That would be a pretty good description of Champagne. He is easy going, and as one of his former owners said, “Champagne just wants to be a good boy.” He isn’t always the most forward horse in the world, but he can be trusted not to be mean or sneaky. If he doesn’t want to do something he is pretty clear about it, but almost always, if given a chance to think it over, he’ll do what’s asked.

Yesterday as I arrived at the barn for a planned trail ride, another group of riders was coming back from their ride, and all the cross ties were taken. So I tacked Champagne up in his stall, a first for me. Nothing was keeping him from moving around or refusing to do as I asked, or staying straight.

Still he lifted each hoof on request for me to pick out, stayed approximately in the same place as I brushed him, and was fine about letting me put the blankets and saddle on, even though I know he prefers the dressage saddle to the drover’s saddle I use on the trail. To lift that heavy saddle high enough I need to stand on a milk crate, and he could have been a real pain by sidling away from the crate after I got it in position, but he didn’t.

Instead he kept gently bumping me with his nose, lowered his head so I could brush his forelock, and again to take the bit. It felt like he was saying, “Hi, good to see you, I like to be with you, I’ll partner with you to get all this stuff done.” Also, he was probably saying, “Let’s do some carrot-facilitated stretches.” Carrots are an approved substance in his book.

Champagne himself is an approved substance in mine!