Cool Reliable Horse

I have a dear friend from high school, one of the few with which I keep in contact. She sent a picture of herself on a horse she got to ride at times when they spent their summers in Colorado. She and I bemoaned the fact that it is hard to find horses like this anymore, cool, reliable horses. This is what she said about the horse:

This was Stormy, a horse we used to borrow for a week or two at a time when I was a kid in Silverton. He was parade trained, so he would rear back when you signaled him. I was ten when this was taken in Silverton - I would ride him downtown to meet the train and have him walk on his hind legs alongside the train, and all the tourists would take pics!! I was actually quite shy, but not when I got on a horse!!

Miriam's Return

When Miriam came back to Texas after her visit to Florida, of course she wanted to get back in the saddle. The weather was hot, humid, miserable, full of pollen, miserable, hot, miserable, hot. The horses were troopers to put up with all this, as was Miriam. With this visit, my husband, Max, aka Pawpaw, was here to take some pictures. Miriam is turning into a wonderful little rider. She has a wonderful seat, doesn't bounce, and has confidence. She seems to take instruction well. I read her a quote that another blogger had on their blog. I really like it. Here it is:
Doubt is the enemy of good riding. Good riding comes from believing in yourself and sitting your ass down and RIDING.

Saddling up. Please wait whilst I get Khanuckle's bridle on.

We headed to the corral to warm up. Warm up? In this weather? Are you kidding? Gyp, ever faithful....

Much to our surprise, she took off trotting.

She beat us there. You can see how I need to lower her stirrups. I think the way she stayed balanced with short stirrups means maybe eventually she can make the transition to an English saddle.

Miriam trotted right over to the barrels and went around.

She stirred up a jack rabbit.

We played follow the leader. It can take the class room atmosphere out of learning to ride.

I always did enjoy the backside view.

Practicing the trot.

Miriam is really focused and enjoying what she is doing, and look at Jim Bob's perky ears.

Hot, sweaty, lovely little rider.

Sit up, dear!

It's hard to see in the tall grass, but we are practicing trotting a cavelleti.

Here I am with a sunny face!

I told Miriam that it was important to learn to duck under limbs.

Riding up to the house. Sometimes we would trot up the hill. Miriam was good at cantering Jim Bob. She remarked that it was like a "flying trot!"

Coming around the corner of the house and the tractor shed,

See Gyp leading the way in the lower left hand corner?

Moving along,

And out of the yard.

Riding up to the yard,

Into the yard.

One more time around the house.

Back into the yard and Jim's favorite place, the hitching post.

End of the ride. You can tell the little thing is hot and tired, but she is a real trooper.

Dismounting. Miriam got off before Pawpaw could assist her. It's a bit of a jump, and she decided next time to wait for help.

Most young people love hosing the horses off, and Miriam is no exception.

Be sure and get the top parts. Jim loves it.

Next came bathing Gyp.

I love the look of concerned care in her face.

After all that hard, hot work, playing in the hose is the best way to cool off. I did also.

Of course, playing in the puddle is always fun.

Butterfly

While down by the horses' run-in sheds, Miriam and I found this lovely butterfly on the ground. Perched on a finger,we took it up to the house to take a picture of it. We think because of the soft fresh look it's wings had that it must be newly hatched out of it's cocoon. I need a butterfly book to identify.