Interessado

Mistral and Fada exchange pleasantries, while Ciente keeps a watchful eye with her colt at her side in this photo taken on Tuesday evening.

I tried to put this entry into the Journal of Ravenseyrie yesterday, but internet connections and blogger traffic were unable to accommodate me. The electronic ether is full of zip this morning, however, and my photos and video clip loaded with amazing speed.

Yesterday morning when I went out to visit with the horses and mules, I once again was hopeful inspiration for a suitable name to bestow upon the new colt would present itself. I was disappointed that I could not get in close and have a one-on-one interaction with the little fella--but the rest of the herd had an agenda, which was similar to mine--they desired to have interactions with the new colt as well. This created a rather unsettled environment and kept the herd in near perpetual motion between brief grazing sessions and various efforts to sneak in for a closer appraisal of Ciente's contribution to the expanded herd.

Mistral was especially persistent in his intent to gain access to the foal and made many attempts to impress upon the colt his status as Supreme Emperor God of the Land of Ravenseyrie. Mistral's preferred method of might is harsh and relentless hazing, so I was very much relieved to observe that each time the twenty-nine year old Arabian ruler would make a rush for the colt, Altamiro would intercede by placing his young stallion body between them, while Ciente wisely shepherded her two day old foal to more neutral territory. I was equally pleased to note that Mistral never once challenged Altamiro's guardianship and the potently tense atmosphere quickly evaporated each time these interceptions took place.

Despite this unrest, I managed to take several photos and a few minutes of moving pictures, before I realized I'd better hike back to the house, lest I make myself late for work. I was confident that in the evening I'd have a better opportunity to learn the name of the colt.

Upon uploading the photos and videos to my computer, something quickly became apparent, exposing the inspiration for a name that had missed my awareness earlier. In virtually every photo I took, the colt was either keenly looking directly at me, or his attention was fixated on some other figure. It became quite obvious that this colt was hugely "interested" in everything around him, and already was quick to leave mother's side to investigate. This, I had noted in Tuesday's video as well--it is what Kris termed "adventuresome" in her comments to that journal entry.

Left to right: Altamiro, Interessado and Ciente

With my Portuguese/English dictionary in hand, I began looking up the Portuguese words for: "observant", "astute", "aware", "awake", "alert" and the like...but it wasn't until I saw the word for "interested" that a flush of affirmation pervaded my being. "Interessado"..."interested", yes! this adjective suits him well as a name!

Closer up; Altamiro, Interessado and Ciente

Pronounced : in-tere'sadu

Because these horses have the blood of their primitive Iberian ancestors flowing in their veins, and as an homage to Dr. Ruy d'Andrade's foresight to save the Sorraia horse from extinction, it gives me great pleasure to discover Portuguese names that capture the essence of Altamiro's foals.

Animado, with Bella. He rarely nurses these days, but did so yesterday morning, during all the scuffles among the herd due to Interessado's presence among them. Perhaps Animado required some "comfort food"?

You might have read here about Animado's birth: http://www.myhorse.ca/Articles/2008-04-15.htm
Animado's name means "lively" and from the minute he emerged from Bella's womb, Altamiro's firstborn was amazingly vibrant and active.


And here you may have read how Fada obtained her name:
http://www.myhorse.ca/Articles/2008-06-08.htm
Fada's name means "sprite" or "fairy" or "wise woman", and describes the ethereal quality of this youngster amazingly well.

Front to back: Fada, Animado, Bella, Altamiro, Ciente (hidden) and the inquisitive Interessado

Now, we add to our family, Interessado , the long-awaited offspring of Altamiro and Ciente, who is so wonderfully "interested" in his new world.

Interessado fixes his attention on Maeb, while giving us a nice view of his shapeliness.

Our video clip today, while initially meant to capture Mistral in the act of trying to enter the safe space created by Ciente and Altamiro during a grazing session up at the bluff's edge, wound up becoming an up-close visit with that little woodland sprite, Fada. And, while the camera was still recording, we get a view of Belina (Fada's mother) taking the opportunity to craftily (and rudely) bite Interessado on the rump. What curious and seemingly nasty ways these horses have of welcoming a new being into their world.

I couldn't resist putting in this photo taken Tuesday evening, with Kevin and Animado playing. Animado loves to toss and pick up the fly whisk...in this photo he has just dropped it after Kevin had been trying to take it from him.