A Visit From a Friend

Last weekend a friend from work asked if we could meet together for her to meet and ride Milo. With Boyfriend being out of town through the 16th, I have been looking for ways to get out of the house in the evenings. We agreed that after work she could follow me out to the barn. I was excited, but wasnt quite sure what to expect of her riding ability or knowledge around horses. She had told me that she had ridden her friend's horses before and eventually she wants to get her own horse, but that doesnt exactly tell me what all she knows.

We arrived at the barn in the dark as it was around 7 o'clock, and I ventured into the pasture in search of my horse. I saw his glowing white head amongst the darkness, and haltered him up. Although in the past I have ridden him mostly in the dark evenings after work, it has been nearly two years since I needed to ride on that schedule, and Im sure Milo was curious as to why Mom and this strange other person were there so late. Nonetheless, he quitely follows behind us to the barn, where we were finally able to turn some lights on.

Initially, Milo was prety respectful of her, but her confidence with him began to show and he started to test his limits with her and how much mouthiness she would put up with, which was quite a lot as she was not spooked by his antics. Milo seemed to enjoy himself. I tacked him up and mounted up first. A breif warm up, then I let her aboard. I knew without spurs he might not listen to her, so I handed her a dressge whip to use if needed. She hadnt ever used one before and later ended up handing it back to me instead just going for firm legs.

Milo, as is typical for him with new people aboard, didnt want to hold even a trot for my poor friend, but eventually I coaxed her into getting him to really go for her, and eventually Milo complied. After about twenty minutes or so she was done, so I got on him once again to make sure nothing was out of place with him. She had brought her dog who is only eleven months of excited lab, and she crouched and leaped and ran around in the arena all the while. Milo had been giving her dirty looks when she would get close, and I thought it might be fun to work the dog a bit as we might a cow. Oh boy, was that what Milo wanted to do!

We ran around and around cutting the dog off and keeping her on her toes. I knew my horse was into it when on his own he took off across the arena after her in an attempt to get ahead of her and block her movement. His low, snaked head indicated just how intent he was on dominating this dog/cow. We spent ten minutes or so at this then eventually I pulled him up and the dog went to lay down, ears still erect on the big horse. Milo licked and chewed complacently, and closed his eyes letting out a big sigh.

Does my horse need to get back on cows or what?


Photo taken by my friend. Didnt think to get any of her on him, not with my crummy camera phone!