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[RC] No-Kidding Honest-to-Gosh Pig Story - Beth LeggieriNo-Kidding Honest-to-Gosh Pig Story: I am married to a man who should have been a zookeeper. He is intuitive with all animals, including the feral ones. In the ten years we?ve owned our small piece of property that is just on the edge of town, he?s had a number of feral ?pets??bobcats, assorted birds, raccoons, etc. His favorite ones have been feral hogs. He swears they are among the most affectionate, intelligent, and creative of all pets he?s had. Captured as young hogs, they would follow him about the property, lie down at his feet, act as ?guard? hogs, and express profound affection for him by running to greet him and then rubbing against him?similar to pet dogs or cats. But the best service they provided was
desensitizing the horses to hogs ? they would enter their paddocks, play with the horses, wallow in wet areas, and actually display hurt feelings when the horses wouldn?t reciprocate with play. I credit Petunia the Pig in the rehabilitation of my injured mare (serious right hind leg injury in which she lost a tendon)?Petunia would sneak up behind the mare, grab hold of her tail, and pull until the mare responded to the invitation to play. The mare soon started bearing weight on the leg because the pig was persistent . . . and eventually the pig probably lamented its persistence?once again the mare could chase the pig. You haven?t lived until you?ve seen horses and feral hogs playing hide and seek. Regrettably, once the young female hogs became sexually mature,
off they went down the creekbed in search of their destiny with young Porky Pigs, leaving my husband quite sad. We?ve yet to encounter hogs on the trail while riding, and it?s only a matter of time as they are everywhere . . . and I?m counting on Petunia and her cohorts, Laverne & Shirley, to have done a good job. I?m going to be ticked if one of the horses spooks--they've certainly had plenty of exposure to hog smells, sounds, and movements! Of course, those were their
playmates, and every day is a new day with a horse out on the trail . . . . Beth Leggieri Denton, TX "My treasures do not chink or glitter, They gleam in the sun and neigh in the night" - Bedouin Proverb Or . . . The Middle-Aged Endurance Rider's Lament: "If you're gonna be stupid, you gotta be tough."
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