Wild Horse Antagonist

"Hey, Darling! Get over here and antagonize this horse for me, will ya?"

"Huh?"

Not the sort of thing you generally hear as a request around here, but what can I say? The word for the day in the photo challenge was expression...and boy, let me tell you, there are some good ones out in that paddock!

My mind immediately determined that Wadatika was the way to go with this assignment. With those eyes of her's, there's no way you can avoid expression, be it anger, vulnerability, or curiosity. That girl was made to express herself!

What I was thinking, and what I wanted, was one of those ear pinning, teeth flashing attitude shots. Not hard to get...unless, it seems, you want one. Then she stands there with her ears up, looking longingly into the camera like some forlorn movie star. Nothing I did could get her to give that wonderful 'mare-itude' look I wanted this afternoon. So what choice did I have but to call in Darling and ask for her help?

"What am I supposed to do?"

I sent Darling into the paddocks with a handful of hay. Surely that would create some disturbance. Tika is a one person pony at the moment, and even that one person (me) isn't really someone she likes to have get too close. Surely I'd get that grumpy "Get out of my space!" look, right?

Hmmm...not exactly what I'd imagined. But wait...what's this? Sky Bar is jealous! Wowza... Now there's some attitude for the big screen!

I came inside, certain that I'd gotten my shot. I uploaded my photos and began to click through them. It may not have been the horse I'd planned on, but that was a ton of expression there on that boy. I was happy...and then I saw this:

Look at those nostrils! One is a full inch higher than the other! I'd been squatting down waiting for Tika to do one of her head shaking, neck snaking moves, and all she'd done was lift one side of her nose and sneered at me. Any horse can pin it's ears...but never have I met one who can sneer!