A Cow Riding a Horse

Ok... so I know I've been on a feeding frenzy lately, but tonight's pictures made me realize that I REALLY need to drop some pounds before my daughter's wedding in September! MOOOO!

However! I had a great night with my Mr. Wink. I brushed him shiny, even with some Show Sheen. I got his tail totally brushed out while we pretended we were ground-tied. Then my friend's trailer was close to being hooked to her truck, so a few cranks set it back down and we practiced loading. He has been loaded twice before in his life. The last time was about a year ago when Dad brought him here. Here's a picture of Wink's butt with resting leg wondering if there's a treat up front!

It took a while to back him out because that was a huge giant step, ya know. But he twisted his head around to look at me behind him and finally took the plunge. Then we petted and loved and we loaded again! He did a terrific job!

Sooooo I led him around some more and took him over to the steps Dad dragged out here to help him in mounting. They are really some cool steps and don't tip over easily like some mounting stools. Although you can't haul this one with you. That would be just a tad awkward lugging them around. But they work great in the yard!

We flexed around, did some figure-eights.

I really hadn't planned on getting on him. It just happened that way. I kept looking at the hard rock driveway and plotting for my dismount.

The closest we came to that was when he decided the hose was much more terrifying when I was on him than when I lead him over it. He whipped around, took a few big jumps and completely forgot what the one-rein stop and "whoa" meant. We struggled for quite a while and he headed toward my friend, Clarissa, as if she were going to save him.

Clarissa stood her ground, gave him the evil eye and stuck her arm up at him. Finally I got his attention a bit again and got him turned around the way I wanted him to go.

Just prior to that when we were making such nice figure-eights I thought "I betcha I could take him out on a trail ride tomorrow!" Ok, so we probably could, but I need to put a much better whoa on him or who knows where we'll end up. Hubby and friends think that if we take three of the older steady horses, Wink will follow along without trouble. They may be right. I'm game to try it. (checks to make sure her health insurance is paid up).

All in all.... it was a spontaneous night with Wink. I hadn't planned to ride at all. I just wanted to play. But gosh.. he was RIGHT there by Dad's mounting-steps and I couldn't help myself. And, really, other than the spinning-bolting-try-to-run-back-to-the-pen episode, he was really good!

This was the first time I have ridden him outside of the round pen.

Hubby says "Next time I want to see you run across that field and straight through the pond."

Uh... yeah. You first. lol