My horse, my psychologist, my happy place

Well, it's official.

My riding buddy and her pony are gone. Teddy and Jaquie loaded up and left last night, driving straight through to Colorado and hitting a few really bad storms along the way, but, they made it safe and sound. Teddy was apparently very, very, very happy to be off that trailer, and I can't say I blame him! It was sad doing evening and morning chores and not hearing his cheerful nicker and seeing him watching me intently, urging me with his eyes, ears and arched neck to hurry the heck up!

I will miss the hell out of both of them. I had to fight back tears as I watched them bump down my driveway for the last time then go ride my sadness out. It's amazing what being on the back of a horse will do for your emotional state. Gabe somehow knew that I just needed him to be there for me, not behave like a crazy horse, not be silly or playful, just be. And he did just that. Our ride was fabulous. Sad, but fabulous, and at the end, I was no longer sad. I buried my face in his neck and was just thankful to have him there, breathing in that sweaty, musky, horse smell that is him and is so comforting. He, of course, was pretty convinced I had peppermints hiding somewhere and snuffled and lipped my clothes, leaving his famous green slobber everywhere, making me smile. The goof.

"There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a (wo)man." - Winston Churchill

Green grass and new chaps

It's amazing what a new pair of half chaps will do for a kid's desire to ride. Apparently, riding without chaps was pinching Kayleigh's legs. I had no idea. New chaps=new desire to ride more often, even without mom!

 

She didn't know I was watching her. She is getting much more confident, trotting and cantering Lou all over the place. I could hear her laughing as she cantered him in the lane between our pastures and the corn field. He was a turd for her last night and bucked her off. She landed in the mud, got the wind knocked out of her, then caught that little rebel and hopped back on. The kid takes no shit from Lou!

 

She and he seem to get along very well. He does test her from time to time, but she has fun on him. He reminds me a lot of my first pony, Blaze. Sometimes a fabulous partner, other times...well, let's just say that pony taught me to stick to just about anything and learn an incredible amount of patience. Aren't they cute together?

We had a couple of days dry enough to turn them out on the pasture...but the grass is ALWAYS greener on the other side of the fence, isn't it? My husband was pulling up clover for them and they eagerly awaited the treat.

 

He knows JUST where all of Gabe's itchy spots are and is usually willing to stand out there and give him a good scritching. Gabe, of course, begs for scratches and won't leave you in peace if you are in the pasture and NOT scratching him.

That's the spot! Right there! I'll give you all day to stop.

Me next? I have itchies too! Right...here...on my butt.

 

I'll catch up with ya later...I have grass to eat.