Enjoying My Horse

Not a whole lot of excitement going on around here. It's been nice out which is a huge bonus, but brings me to one sorta update: remember my mention on the wet paddock and Milo peeing in his stall? Well, I have a couple of friends who own a firewood business and they offered a few bags of wood sawdust/shavings for me to have. Awesome! So a few days after the first urine spots were noticed I arranged a time to meet with them and get a few bags. That evening I sprinkled some down in the stall. Can you guess what happened? Milo stopped going in the stall. AND the weather is drying up (a bit, but as I type this its raining so we will see how long that lasts, at least Im prepared for more wet weather). But at least the added sawdust is helping to keep the stall itself much more dry. And a bonus - his stall smells like wood. :)

With the nice weather and Milo being sound from the whatever swelling, I had been able to take him out on the trail twice with my friend who rides the BO's Arab, Middy. Two days in a row we were able to get out and enjoy the trail and weather (one being on Milo's bday). And you know what, I dont have this huge urge to get back in the arena. Although it is dried up now and good for riding again, I have had so much fun getting out on the trail. Which doesnt mean we are avoiding work because the trail presents and allows for periods of "work" on it as well. I can still ask for correct posture and movement at the walk, trot, and lope, work on a simple change, and play around with my body control. It's been really nice, actually, to really just enjoy my horse. 

The other night I stopped by the barn after a weekend shift of pulling carts. I wasnt planning on riding, just needed to get the boy fed and his stall cleaned. I opened the stall door and Milo was outside in the paddock, enjoying the final moments of the nice evening. He poked his head around the corner of the stall, and rested his head in my arms. It was the best greeting I could ever get. I stroked his big soft cheeks and got white shedding hair all over me. But the sweet smell of him and his quiet and happy demeanor just made all the work that followed that much easier, and enjoyable to do. 

In all honesty, I really enjoy feeding him daily, cleaning is stall, and being able to have the quiet one-on-one time with him. I really look forward to when he is home. 

Milo, eight years old.

We live in a beautiful place. Should have seen it in the daylight, those mountain tops are breathtaking

Sawdust in the stall.

And these nest two photos are from maybe two weeks ago. But I never posted them...they sure made me excited.

Look at them skid marks!