Kona hanging out in the damp arena with Quest.

The plan was for Dev to ride new Canadian Warmblood, Quest, on Sunday morning.  His owner’s plan was to wear down the young horse so Dev did not die on his first ride.  So off to the arena the beautiful black gelding went.  He ran and played accompanied by the black poodle.  The skies may have been dreary and grey but the boys were stunning.  My vet had commented that when this horse trots he moves so beautifully that it made the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.  Must be a pretty cosmic experience.  I have not seen him go under saddle yet but just his big flowing trot around the arena was something amazing.

Checking out the jumps.

I lunged the mighty Quest and he got away from me the first go around.  Which lead to some excited galloping around the arena with lunge rope and poodle in tow.  All Mia could say (as she sat quietly on Snowboy) was “I wish I had my camera, I wish I had my camera!”  I think there is just something amazing about a solid black horse-it is the dreams from our youth with all the Black Stallion books and Black Beauty.  And this horse of Jo Ann’s is stunning.  Any of you looking for a great eventing or dressage mount, this guy is for sale!

Betty Sue wanting to come in out of rain and wet.

After the Quest events, my friend Gaylyn came with her new mare Annie.  I had seen her when she had first bought her and she has grown and developed into a lovely young sorrel mare.  Gaylyn, Libby and I rode our three Quarter horses in the cool afternoon. It was a very nice time full of talk and camaraderie.   Soon enough the rain and cold hit us in earnest and we ran for the barn.

It rained all night Saturday.  Lessons were cancelled. Lauren was out-of-town and I was on my own cleaning for company that will be coming this next weekend and enjoying the new tv that Luke, Ally and Lauren had arranged to have set up in my bedroom.  I have not had a tv in my bedroom for at least 15 years.  But with my surgery coming soon, it sure will be nice to be able to watch a movie or some mindless show while the hours pass.

My favorite part of the cold, wet weekend?  I took all the dogs out to the barn with me to play while I cleaned the now 12 stalls we have occupied.  I sent my horses and Cody out in the drizzling rain but left the rest of boarders in the dry, warm barn.  I have been cleaning stalls for years.  But just recently have we escalated to 12 stalls of horses. Twelve is a lot!! Like seriously, I am too old for this.  When it rains, everyone stays in all night and day (and poops and poops!).  Saturday morning’s chores wore me out.  Sunday I was starting with aching bones and tired shoulders.  But I wasn’t in any hurry.  I did not have a thing I needed to accomplish or a place I needed to go.  I actually hoped the big gate on the driveway would stay closed all day.

I worked my way through the boarder barn (called the Blue barn as all the geldings are housed here) and but was really dragging by the time I hit stall number ten in the Pink barn.  It was raining.  It was cool.

I took Feather’s stable blanket and laid it out on the dry concrete in front of her stall. I simply laid down on the concrete and rested my back.  As I did, Lula the dachshund, laid down on my stomach, Muffy, the spaniel fit herself around my head.  The Doberman and poodle took up guard along each side of me while the Corgi and wild border collie lay at my feet.  It was a perfect time.  There is no where else I wanted to be.  My regret was that I could not figure any way to get a picture of my special friends joining me in rest.  I watched the rain fall.  I listened to the wind.  I ran my hands over my trusting dogs.  My back felt better.  My attitude improved.

I had a great weekend in the wet, damp weather.  I couldn’t have asked for more.