Back to horses

Dad would want me to write, even if--possibly especially if--it bumped his picture down the page.

So we'll go back to horses, though there continue to be bursts of overwhelming sadness mixed with chuckles when memories surface. Matches the weather out here today, with the sun peeking through the clouds off and on and filtering down through the mist in the river valley below us.

All three horses got out yesterday, and all three were very glad for it. Steve and Lena had a nice romp, and Katie and Sammy helped Bar with his other-horse anxieties. Or at least they gave me a chance to do some training around that issue.

Having not been out in three days, Bar was very frisky and really wanted to play. He walked pretty quietly next to me down to the arena, but I could practically hear his muscles and nerves singing in my ears--sproing, sproing, sproing. It makes me wish (again) for a place to turn him out with Lena, and now Sammy, so he could play with other horses. It's a bit difficult for me to keep up with his long Thoroughbred legs and he says I take things way too seriously, like nipping for example.

Katie was already down there, and Bar was determined Sammy should notice his handsome self bouncing around in the round pen. He did finally settle down and work nicely for me, despite the overwhelming urge to show off. Sproing. "Sammy, look over here!" Sproing, sproing. "Yoo hoo... Sammy.." Sproing.

After we were done in the round pen, I got on him for a few minutes bareback, hoping it would knock my spine back into place. (My back has been out for three days and it's getting really annoying.) Bar still really wanted to play with Sammy, but I convinced him to work over obstacles and do some bending instead.

He actually did great until I got off and Katie zoomed by in jockey position on Sammy--then we got a little dancing and spinning as we left the arena. He always moved away from me and always pulled himself back together--even when we got into the barn aisle and he realized both (!) exits were blocked by other horses. He definitely wanted out (OUT!) of the barn, but he stayed with me and didn't rush too badly as we headed out into the sunshine.

All in all, I was pretty proud of him and his big brown bouncy self and glad to be back at the barn, too. It doesn't make me miss Dad less, but it does soothe my soul, which is a good thing.