Hello my friends, and welcome to another edition of the Gimli Gazette, where I take time from my busy schedule to answer questions from my adoring fans, and spread equine wisdom to inspire the masses. Come and sit at my hooves, and you will learn much!
My first question comes from a young girl in the current session. She writes, ” Do you like being painted and bathed by the children?” Yes indeed, especially during the hot weather. I must say that my flanks are a perfect canvas for these young artists seeking inspiration. I like the designs that the children come up with, as well as their clever sayings. Then comes the bath after all the pictures have been taken. This rub down feels great, especially on a hot day.
All in all, I am a fan of being painted. Anything that draws attention to me will do wonders for my ongoing modeling career. It is a win-win! The children have a lot of fun, and I end up on the covers of countless equine art magazines.
Another person asks, “Why is it that horses like to roll after receiving a bath? Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of getting washed?” This is a good question. There are many reasons why horses (myself included) like to roll on the ground after a bath. One reason is because the bath sometimes leaves us itchy, and it feels good to have the mud or sand cover our bodies. I also like the scent of the earth (as opposed to some of the perfume scents in human shampoo). The smell of the soil helps me to blend in with my natural environment, so that predators will not be able to easily locate me. This covering of dirt also gives me protection from the sun.
The dirt that sticks to me after rolling on the ground helps to keep the flies away from me. It is a fact of nature that all creatures great and small are drawn to Gimli Black. My wit and charm (and horse pheromones) are irresistible to anyone or anything that breathes on this planet. This is great for human interactions, but a pain when trying to avoid insects.
Well, that’s all the questions that I received this week. I hope that the children will continue to write me. I will put all my glamorous activities on hold when one of these dear ones has a question.
Happy Trails,
Gimli June 13, 2026