I think that every horse-loving parent hopes that at least one of their children will love horses the way they do. But even more than that, you look forward to the day when you can ride with your children. When they are small, that time seems so far away, and yet you don't dare speed up time as it is already passing too fast as your children grow so quickly.
On Thursday, I stayed home with Sammie since she was still recovering from a stomach bug. She was much better, but she still hadn't eaten a "normal" sized meal, and there was no reason to hurry back. She was resting on the couch when it was time for me to go care for the horses, and she really wanted to come help! (I don't ever refuse that!). She does a great job pouring grain into all of their buckets, and likes to give Penny extra handfuls of hay. Once they were all in and eating, Sammie went out to the ring to play in the sand. I asked her if she'd like to ride Arthur when he was done and she emphatically said, "yes!" So I set to fix the gate to the ring (it fallen off the hinges) so she could practice more steering. (Arthur likes to go to the gate and without it there he would probably walk back to the barn if I wasn't there to stop him).
We got Arthur out and groomed him and saddled him, and took him to the ring. Sammie and I practiced steering on figure 8's going between poles on the ground through the middle. She was doing so well, I couldn't help but suggest, "Would you like me to go get Sweetie and ride her with you?" She again nodded happily, and after making sure Arthur was standing courteously at the gate, ran in to get Sweetie. Sweetie was a little put off that I did the "quick" version of grooming ( just the saddle area) and dared to put the saddle on in her stall without the proper cross-tying routine, but she gave in and sighed and followed me out to the ring in about 2 minutes flat. :)
I carefully mounted up and then talked Sammie through steering away from the gate. I gently asked Sweetie to walk off and turned my head around to see what Arthur was doing. Mr. Perfect Pony was walking right behind us as though he had been doing it all of is life. Sammie and I rode around the ring at the walk for the next 20 minutes, practicing turning and keeping Arthur away from the gate, changing directions, and just enjoying the gorgeous 70 degree Texas winter. I found my eyes tearing up as I realized that I was actually riding with my daughter! I was so delighted. At the end, we turned into the middle of the ring, I dismounted first and helped her down, and then we went to the gate. Everything was perfect, until Arthur stepped on Sammie's toes while I was opening the gate... The sand is so soft there and Arthur so small that she really wasn't hurt, and I told her that she would have to get stepped on at least 10 times before she would be a really good rider. (Heaven knows my toes have been stepped on at least that many times!) It seemed to cheer her up, and we walked the horses back to the barn to finish out the morning ride.
We finished by giving Arthur carrots and telling we loved him anyways and knew that he didn't mean to step on her toes. (Although I secretly believe Sweetie used to do it to me on purpose). I've promised Sammie to do more steering practice with me on the ground in the ring before we ride together again. But Arthur (toes excluded) was such a wonderful pony!
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