Horses and Puppies

Guess where I got to go this weekend? Home, you say? Why, that would be correct! And since I got to go home, that meant that I got to see Orion yesterday. :)

My friend Claire has been wanting to go and see him ever since she found out that I had him (she hears me talk about him all the time; we live in the same suite).  So yesterday morning (after both oversleeping by about 30 minutes and getting slightly off schedule *sigh*) we headed up to dear old Elkins, swung by my house to pick up a package from horse.com and went on out to the barn, about 5 minutes away.

So that package is my favorite one yet, I think.  If you refer to my "Wishing and Waiting" post, you'll see most of what I got.  Replace the English girth with a neoprene 32" Western girth (thank you for the advice, Liz and Carly!), a dandy brush, and a pack of green fleece polo wraps, and that was it.  I was very happy. :)

So, the following pictures are all courtesy of Claire.  She acted as my photographer for this visit. :)

Tonka :)

Lily!! *excited high pitched voice*

Apache

Left to right: Woody, Star, Skip, Kolijah, and Kit

My boy :)

Back to front: Woody, Skip, and Kit

I think I fell in love all over again while Claire was taking these; he was being all nuzzly and "I loooovve youuu"-like.  It was soo sweet.  :)

My favorite

I feel like my face looks weird here. I'm pretty sure it was because I was talking to him. lol

Finally, I got to ride again!  Don't be alarmed by the wraps.  He's still completely fine, but I bought polo wraps to wear for longer rides so that he has more support.  My hope is that they will make it less likely that he'll re-injure himself.  I was just trying them out yesterday to make sure I did it right and he was still moving okay.  I thought he looked pretty spiffy. :)

Constructive criticism for my posture is appreciated.  I know it's not great.  I'm working on it, but if anyone has any advice, feel free to let me know!

The biggest uh-oh moment from yesterday was when I was trying to mount....I'm pretty sure I've mentioned before his hatred for standing by the mounting block? Yeah...well.  Last time I mounted from the picnic table, but yesterday, Ed and Linda were putting up new fence on that side of the paddock, so I had nowhere else to go but to the mounting block.  Bahhhh.  He would not stand between it and the fence for anything, so I ended up making him stand on the side that the steps are on....dang I wish I had taken a picture, so you could actually visualize how awkward this was, but alas, I didn't think to at the time.  I was too busy getting stubborn-head to listen.  It basically ended with me going to get on his back, and him moving away so that I had to jump a little more that I wanted to to actually make it...and before my feet were even in the stirrups - buck, buck, buck, buck.  I just locked my legs around his middle and held tight to reins and mane until he'd decided I wasn't a predator attacking him and finally stood still again.

So, I had my first experience being on a bucking horse - though in all honesty, they weren't big bucks - if they had been, I'm sure I would have been on the ground.

Claire's response to me asking her what she thought of him as we were leaving:

 "I always thought you were exaggerating with your stories, but he really does have a 'tude." lol

And lastly, I will leave you with.....puppies!!! :D  The neighbor's hound dog had them underneath the barn a few weeks back.  They're so freakin' adorable...I think everyone who has seen them wants to take one home. lol