Everyone but Dad!

That's who came out to see me today! It was pretty exciting. I was in my stall and all of a sudden, I heard Sparky's mom's voice! I looked out and there she was and with her was Emily with that dog that Emily brought one time. Ishi. I figured they were going to take care of me and I waited in my stall while Sparky's mom got him out of the pasture. But then I heard MY mom and all of a sudden, there she was!

She got me out and got me and Spark a hay snack and that was good. I was happy to see everyone. It's nice to have visitors after all. Mom cleaned my stall out and Sparky's mom fussed over him. She always does that. I don't know why. He's not nearly as pretty as me. I mean, he's nice and I love him but I have dapples. And I have a star and black points. Nobody ever fusses over me.

She finally stopped and then she untied me and led me away, over to where Spark usually eats his dinner and gets his saddle on! I was a little confused. My mom was still in my stall and Spark was still tied outside my stall and it just seemed very strange that Spark's mom was taking me. I thought she might have made a mistake and grabbed the wrong horse but I don't know how anyone could get the two of us mixed up. It was a little scary.

She put me in cross ties and started brushing me and I got a little fussy and she yelled at me. Then I kept moving my butt around and she slapped me! It was awful! She's always mean to me. I wasn't trying to be bad. I just didn't know where my mom was. Finally my mom came and she had my saddle pads and my girth. It was all so confusing. I didn't know where Sparky was - turns out my mom had put him in my stall! With a hay snack! Can you imagine?

Sparky's mom started cleaning my feet and I started fussing with my back feet and she made the Bad Girl noise and then Mom made it and then they both hit me. Then Mom got her stick and showed it to me so I knew I had to be good so I was and Sparky's mom cleaned my feet and told me I was a Good Girl. But it was only because I didn't want my mom to hit me again.

Then my mom put my fly spray on and she did my face and talked nice to me and gave me kisses so I felt a lot better. After that, I tried to behave a little better though I still fussed and fidgeted while Spark's mom saddled me up. I don't know where Emily and Ishi were - I think they went for a walk.

When I was all saddled up, Spark's mom brought me to the mounting block and got on so I knew she was going to ride me. That was kind of funny since my mom was right there. But I walked out into the Flat Arena when she told me to and we started riding around.

I was a little unsure at first. It's strange to have other people on you, especially with your mom there. But Spark's mom kept urging me forward and I got more comfortable and finally started walking nicely. It turned out to be kind of fun. There were some poles set up in the arena and we walked over them a few times. And she asked me to trot a few times and I did. I wasn't even too bad about it though i did get mad and kick my back leg out the first time she asked. After that, I settled down though.

Some other people were riding in there too for a while and one of the guys brought a big truck thing in that was full of dirt one time. I wanted to go see it but Sparky's mom wouldn't let me. And I looked at the other bay mare in the mirror. I like doing that. Have you ever seen a mirror? We have them in the Flat Arena. If you walk up to it, you can see a bay horse that looks just like me but when you get really close and poke at it with your nose, you can't feel her nose. It just feels like a wall. But you can see her poking her nose at you. It's very interesting. I like to look at the mirror.

After we rode around the arena for a while, Sparky's mom rode me out of it. Emily was there with Ishi and I wanted so badly to go sniff noses with her (Ishi not Emily) but Spark's mom wouldn't let me. She took me for a poop loop instead. That was fun. We went past my barn and then she let me canter up the hill by the pasture! I love to canter! I tried to be really good but went a little sideways by mistake.

Then we rode up the hill toward my old barn. Partway up, I kind of broke into a trot. I'd just rather go fast up hills. it's so much easier than walking. Spark's mom didn't make me stop trotting so I kind of broke into a canter. I got pretty excited about it and bucked a little but luckily we were going uphill so it wasn't as bad as when I do it in the arena. When you buck going uphill, it's kind of like making your rider level with the ground. At least, that's what I say.

She made me behave after that and I was good for the rest of the ride. I showed her how I know how to go down hills now without walking funny because it doesn't hurt anymore. She liked that. I hope she had a nice time riding me. I don't mean to be bad for Sparky's mom. I'm just not used to having her ride me. I love her lots. She did tell me I was a Good Girl and she thanked me for letting her ride me. So that was nice.

Maybe next time Emily will ride me too. I like having all my friends come to visit me.