Mom, Can We Go, Too?

Some of you may remember from my intro (Susan and Ah-D from Maine) that I'm not just a horse person, but a dog person as well.  My answer to The Girls (my Labs) was, yes, you can join us again today!

My son Ian wanted to go to his friend's house, so being the loving mom that I am, I said sure, as long as you take a portrait of me and my horse first. :)  Anyway, he went with me yesterday and had fun.  Today Kate was headed down and would soon be tacking up the Haflinger Allie.  Please note my new saddle, a treeless Sensation hybrid.  What do you think?  I haven't made up my mind yet.  I have only ridden in it a handful of times, but on this ride, I really liked it, so I think I am getting used to it.



It was beautiful out on the trail, absolutely beautiful.  There was lots of deer sign, and then I looked down to see something different, owl pellets!
How cool is that?

Most of the time when we are out on the trail with Allie, I lead with Ah-D.  If I don't, he gets insulted because he thinks HE should be first since he is the boss in the pasture.










But he likes Kate.  What's not to like?  And she didn't even have a treat!  Note I am using a rigged up hackamore on Ah-D.  He had a wolf tooth pulled a week ago Monday, so I used the hackamore on him on Saturday and Sunday.  He was confused but willing on Saturday, but by Sunday, it was old hat.








Willow is my "freshest" Lab.  She has a personality most like her grandmother - and Ah-D.  :)  Here, she is up ahead with something.  That something turned out to be a big frozen horse turd.  She ran around and around with it the whole rest of the ride, and she and the other young one Cameo played keep away with it.  She actually brought it back to the barn, and it was sitting there in the aisle last night, so I carried it up and threw it in the dog pen for them all to play with.  One of my ol' time Lab breeder friends told me horse poop has a lot of vitamin A in it.  My dogs are not vitamin A deficient.















Here I am telling my beautiful Curly how much I love him.  Please note the extra fancy reinage that I worked long and hard to create so I could ride trails on my beloved Curly pony.  Tie a knot in four pieces of baling twine and we were good to go.  I didn't feel like farting around with Chicago screws.

Here is my handsome Ah-D telling me that he loves me back.  Our horses do love us, in their own way.  Mine is very affectionate.  He craves my attention, and he can be jealous when I give it to other horses.  He was awesome on this ride.  I barely used those fancy reins because Ah-D was listening to my seat and leg cues.  Love it when he does that!