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A blue merle Border Collie looks up and licks the chin of a large chestnut horse in a barn. 3 / 30

A Border Collie Offered a Horse Some Very Careful Grooming

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With her head tilted high and her eyes half closed, a blue merle Border Collie is giving a big chestnut horse a gentle lick on the chin. The horse stands calm and tall, lowering its head to make it easier, while the shadowy barn behind them holds coiled ropes, hay bales and a bucket. The collie's mottled gray and white coat is soft against the horse's warm chestnut hide. Wisps of hay float in a beam of light, and the horse's long lashes flutter as it enjoys the attention.

Border Collies are intensely smart working dogs, bred to control sheep by sight and instinct. They are happiest with a job and need a lot of mental and physical exercise. Without enough of it, they can become anxious or find their own entertainment. Training games, agility and puzzle toys are a great way to keep a collie busy.

Licking is a common social gesture for dogs. It can mean affection, curiosity or a request for attention, and it is one reason a dog may groom a companion. Horses groom each other too, with gentle nibbling along the neck and withers, and it is a way of building trust.

Real horses and dogs should always be introduced carefully, but in this tender moment the collie has found a very large friend. A steady, quiet friendship is built from small kindnesses just like this one. Kindness comes in every size.

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