Hope has been bitten by the horse bug again. Not that that particular insect, which took a big chomp out of her three years ago, has ever let go, but winter is over, it’s getting warm, the bulbs are blooming and it’s time for a horse. We called the owner of the gray Thoroughbred mare we leased for a few months in the fall of 2006, and got permission to ride this windy afternoon.
Tess seemed happy enough to see us, grooving in the currying and brushing, combing and picking. She accepted the saddle and bridle just fine. Since she hadn’t been ridden since Wednesday, we hooked her up with a longe line so we could take off any edge before Hope got in the saddle. Not that we expected an edge, but with horses you never know.
Maybe it was the wind. Or the horses galloping in the adjacent pasture. But, Tess was 17 hands of bottled-up nerves. Jittery, white-eyed, spooking at everything.
The longeing didn’t seem to do much good, so we took her to the indoor ring (way small, but what are you gonna do?) to see if she’d settle down in there.
She did, giving Hope a nice first ride of the season.
On the way home from the barn, I had an inexplicable, very uncharacteristic, craving for pink cotton candy. On a whim, we stopped at two convenience stores in search of. Nada.
After striking out at the second store, even though I still wanted the sweet, wispy stuff, I forgot all about it.
There was a big garage sale on the lawn in front of American Fork library. I debated with Hope whether to stop. Of course, she said no and I said yes, so we stopped. I bought a book for 25c.
When I took it back to the van, Hope pointed to a lady who was selling fresh cotton candy about 200 feet away.
What are the odds?
I bought four at 50c a pop -- one for me, three for the kids. It was no picnic getting four unbagged cotton candies back to the van intact in the same stiff wind that jangled Tess' nerves. I had to turn my back to the breeze and hold my coat open to break the blast.
Even so, my cone of cotton was consumed before we got home, it was that good.
Tess seemed happy enough to see us, grooving in the currying and brushing, combing and picking. She accepted the saddle and bridle just fine. Since she hadn’t been ridden since Wednesday, we hooked her up with a longe line so we could take off any edge before Hope got in the saddle. Not that we expected an edge, but with horses you never know.
Maybe it was the wind. Or the horses galloping in the adjacent pasture. But, Tess was 17 hands of bottled-up nerves. Jittery, white-eyed, spooking at everything.
The longeing didn’t seem to do much good, so we took her to the indoor ring (way small, but what are you gonna do?) to see if she’d settle down in there.
She did, giving Hope a nice first ride of the season.
On the way home from the barn, I had an inexplicable, very uncharacteristic, craving for pink cotton candy. On a whim, we stopped at two convenience stores in search of. Nada.
After striking out at the second store, even though I still wanted the sweet, wispy stuff, I forgot all about it.
There was a big garage sale on the lawn in front of American Fork library. I debated with Hope whether to stop. Of course, she said no and I said yes, so we stopped. I bought a book for 25c.
When I took it back to the van, Hope pointed to a lady who was selling fresh cotton candy about 200 feet away.
What are the odds?
I bought four at 50c a pop -- one for me, three for the kids. It was no picnic getting four unbagged cotton candies back to the van intact in the same stiff wind that jangled Tess' nerves. I had to turn my back to the breeze and hold my coat open to break the blast.
Even so, my cone of cotton was consumed before we got home, it was that good.
1 comment:
Hope looks so grown up! I can hardly believe its been 6 months since I've seen you guys. Just left Utah today, it was beautiful there!
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