Riding with a Coyote

Recalling the dogs and the horse I was riding, this must have taken place in ’92 or ’93. It was a beautiful late spring morning and Fancy Lady and I went out for a ride. The dogs, of course, came along also and traveled at least twice the distance Fancy & I did as they cast about here and there and everywhere.

We were about 2 miles from home and heading back. The two “black and whites”, Nova and Maggie Mae Smith, were in the lead, dog trotting along with ears bobbing up and down. The two half-sisters, Diana and Chocolate, were in the rear, also dogtrotting with tongues lolling. I heard a rustle in the brush to the side of the road and out came a coyote. The coyote settled in about 12 feet to the side of Fancy, level with her shoulder. The dogs in front whirled around for a look and the two in back feinted at the coyote but stopped in bewilderment when the coyote ignored them. The coyote kept time with Fancy and the dogs gave way and fell in behind.

So we traveled down the road—horse with human aboard, 4 surprised and puzzled dogs, and one coyote.

The coyote was in good health with good weight with a slick and shiny coat. Her gaily raised and waving tail allowed me to determine that this was a female. She hardly gave me a look, and Fancy, after the initial look at the new canine joining us, ignored her as she did the dogs.

We reached the mile point and continued onwards. As we passed the half mile from home point, still in formation, I was wondering if she was going to come on home with us. Finally, at the bottom of the driveway, the coyote veered off, back into the brush as dogs, horse & I continued up the driveway. The dogs watched her leave, and they were still puzzled by this visitation of a coyote who did not run from them and who was not interested in them.

To this day, I cannot know what that coyote was thinking. But it remains a shining moment in my life.