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If you recall, our young daughter has declared herself to be the pony trainer at the barn up the road from our home.
This weekend wraps up spring break for all the area`s school districts and ours usually have the week off at the same time. This year was different though, for I had no plans for taking time off school. No, not this week because there will be time off for Holy Week instead.
The horse barn where our girls hang out and perform slave labor in between riding lessons (smile), suggested our gals come to the barn as often as they would like because there would be a horse camp in session and she would love any helping hands to assist her.
I hadn't planned on enrolling our younger daughter, the fee for the week was too high and she was only allowed one during the summer instead. However, the request for helpers became my weakness (how could I refuse the opportunity anyway) and last Monday morning, both our girls walked up for 9:30 only to return at dinner time.
Surprises filled the air at the barn when the owner had secretly increased her horse count by three and all were hiding in the barn when the girls showed up.
Just as those moments when our girls are in the midst of a newborn baby, our horse loving gals, and all others hanging out at the barn, get all giddy when another new horse comes along. This day, three were present; a large horse and two ponies, one a paint pony.
What made this day special was finding two ponies awaiting our daughter`s training skills. At least she is very serious about her growing skills as a rider and trainer. Actually the patch pony was exciting for all but it was one in particular that has already proved to be beyond special. She is unique in a very unexpected and precious way.
She was a pony alright but had been bred with a mule! So, our pony trainer daughter has now befriended a mule pony whom she proved could not only saddle and tack up, but she had no problems riding around the ring.
Did you happen to notice her ears in the photo at the top of this blog, or how about in the one below...
She pressed onward to find the mule successfully trotted, and even managed to jump to the sound of fits of giggles from all watching the initial performance. Even the owner who had no idea how great this purchase would become for her stock was most pleased. As for the paint pony, it became all too much this week when it wouldn't settle down, was antsy from dawn to dusk and made all the other horses in his paddock nervous.
Our older daughter has much to add to this for she is entertained with the new mare. Introducing the mare to the idea of dressage has been an interesting discipline technique all week. She performed very well, that is until she bucked real hard and decided she had had enough while our daughter hung on for dear life over her head.
Lessons learned at the barn are still varied and many. How fortunate we are to have this at our fingertips.
The week now over, there were so many hours spent up there, and so many stories told around the family dinner table.
The weather was perfect, the sun was shining and almost three feet of accumulated snow around the barn has now melted for the most part.
Our pony trainer slept well every night this week, snoring before her head hit the pillow in fact but her lunch was always made and her fresh barn clothing lay at the bottom of her bed before she conked out for the night. So cute.
Our older daughter went to the barn here and there and for two full days around her work schedule. She too finds the mule enchanting and so very overweight so all agreed to work him harder and whip him into shape.
A mule.
Yes, a mule pony!
