Big girl work

Well, we did do more cantering and it was awfully fun! Let me tell you all about it.

My mom and Sparky's mom came out together which was really nice for Spark because he was so happy to see his mom. I know just how he feels. It's awful when you don't see your own mom for a couple of days. They came out kind of early and I was just waking up from my nap when they arrived so I was sort of sleepy and lazy at first. My mom got me out and Sparky's mom got him out and then my mom took a Bag and went looking for a hay snack for us.

That was nice. In just a short time, she'd found enough so we both got a small pile of hay to munch on. Then she began grooming me while Spark's mom worked on him. At one point, she was testing his back like the Carrot Doctor does to see if it was sore and poor Spark was flinching through his shoulders so she told my mom to look and they both were concerned about poor Spark. I was concerned too. I don't like seeing my brother in pain. It's no fun at all. Spark is so Good too - he never complains and he tries really hard to be a Good Boy and do what his mom asks him to do. Me, I let my mom know immediately if my saddle hurts or if something doesn't feel right. I swish my tail or bite or buck or try to kick or whatever I have to do to let her know and she figures it out quick. But Spark doesn't like to make a fuss so sometimes our moms don't see it quite so quickly.

His mom just brushed him really good and said she was going to take him for a walk so that was good. Spark was happy about that because he likes to go for walks with his mom. He's been wanting to get out and do something but he didn't want to be ridden because of his hurtiness. Meanwhile my mom was putting my duds on for us to go riding.

We went out into the Flat Arena and warmed up. While we were out there just walking, Glamour and Teddy's mom came with her little dog. He's so cute - he's just small like a bunny but frisky and perky. I want to smell him but my mom didn't let me get close enough today. Maybe next time.

Anyway, we were just riding around when we heard Sparky's mom and Glamour's mom calling back and forth and saying that the horses weren't in the pasture! My mom rode me out on the road and we headed up the hill to see if we could figure things out. I felt very important because my mom was using me to actually do something important. Spark was with us too because his mom brought him along in case the other horses were loose. She thought maybe they'd come to Spark because he used to be their herd boss.

In the end, it was all right because they were just way out in the pasture. There was a spot in the fence that was down but they hadn't found it so everything was fine. My mom brought me back to the arena and I thought all the excitement was over but then she started really riding and we got to work on things. She had me trotting in circles and changing direction, and she had me trot all along the long side and then across the middle. She kept changing direction in different ways so I had to really pay attention so as not to get my legs all tangled up. It was fun.

Then she asked me to canter! I love that and I popped right into my canter and she was happy with me. We were going a different direction than we were yesterday and it's a little harder that way than the other but I did it and it was fun. Then she trotted me again and changed direction and we cantered the other way too! We even did it more than once that way and I didn't buck at all and cantered just right. She was really happy with me.

By this time, Spark and his mom had started on their walk and were at the top of the hill by the manure pile. My mom took me out on the road and we started up by the pasture to catch up with them. We'd just started up the hill when she urged me into a trot. I took about one step at a trot and then broke right into a canter and she let me run up the hill. It was a really nice canter if I do say so myself, kind of slow and relaxed and I could tell my mom liked it. I was still a little excited when we got to Spark and his mom and I was dancing a little bit but I soon calmed down and just walked and we had a nice walk all around the farm.

We saw some friends - Cozzie and Misty and Indian - but we didn't get a chance to sniff noses with them. Spark did go see a mare he used to live near and that was nice. Then we went into the Rolling Arena and that was kind of exciting. I haven't been in there in a long time. It's big and there weren't any other horses in there so it seemed even bigger. We walked around the whole thing though and it wasn't so bad. My mom said that's where the Show was and Spark said he'd been in there with lots of other horses and it was kind of scary but okay. I think I'd like to be in a Show.

Pretty soon we left there - Spark had a nice roll on the way out - and went back to the barn. It was a good walk and a nice ride. Spark's mom hosed him off and my mom let me roll in the Flat Arena and then hosed me too. We got our dinner and it was still early enough for Spark to have his nap before hay time. He was pretty tired by then and needed it. He never takes naps at the same time as the other horses because he says someone has to stand guard. I guess that's in case of Mountain Lions. Luckily none of them came while he napped because I wouldn't have known what to do and I don't think anyone else would either.