Twitch and Honey

Twitch got his nickname because for the first several weeks after he arrived, he startled at sounds, people, cats, dogs, the wind and, occasionally, nothing at all. His ears were constantly moving (even when he was asleep). When he was offered a treat, his ears would move around like crazy, twitching this way and that, as if he were listening for something that might indicate the carrot or cookie or whatever was going to come alive and eat him. People tried everything to get him to calm down and into the rhythm of things, but nothing worked until he met Honey.

Honey had been at the barn for a couple of days already and was in her pasture - the low woman on the totem pole which seemed okay with her. When Twitch was released to integrate into his herd, he, too, was low man on the totem pole. About three days later, everyone had noticed that the two of them would walk, side-by-side, with the fence between them. They'd scratch each other and eat with their noses touching.

One of the young ladies said something like, "Looks like Twitch has found him a honey." The name stuck.

Not long afterwards, somehow, Twitch had found a way into the mare's field - which would normally have caused a near riot. But there he and she were, standing together, ignoring everyone else and enjoying each other. The head of the barn was going to be working outside for several hours, and they let them stay together - keeping a close eye on all the other horses just in case. Since there wasn't a problem, it was decided that Twitch could go in the mare's field the next day and the next until, finally, he was one of their herd.