Happy Birthday, Striker!

Today is the Old Man's birthday.  He's 28 years old and still has more get-up-and-go than most horses half (or a third or a quarter or even an eighth) his age.  Case in point, last week I was walking him down the driveway to turn him out in the indoor.  Well, *I* was walking.  He was cantering circles around me.  Then he got loose and trotted into the outdoor ring and spent quality time going from puddle to puddle, pawing gleefully.  I refused to go out in the mud and was content to wait for him to wander back, but a barn kid volunteered to go get him for me.

Anyway.  It's his birthday and he's the best and I love him more than anything, including the two horses I actually own... combined.  Sorry, River and Mare, but you just can't compete with him.

Yesterday I set up my tripod and used the handy dandy free remote control that came with the new camera I got in December.  (Well, "free" isn't entirely accurate, considering how expensive the camera was... perhaps "included at no additional cost" is better.)  So I took some pictures of me and Striker...

Awwww, isn't he handsome??

My purpose in life is to serve as his scratching post.

Really, honey?  I actually kind of like this one, I just wish I'd had the camera angled up a bit higher and/or had us farther away so his whole head would be in the picture.

And also, I'm impressed by how decent I look.  Goodness knows I'm never going to be a beauty queen, but considering this was after an hour of morning barn chores, 8 hours of work, and trimming 2 horses' feet, I'm shockingly not a total mess.

Happy birthday, Striker!  I've got a pack of (brand name!) Twinkies with his name on it.   He's in for a treat tonight

Sulk Over?

I think I'm over my sulk...  Well actually, the turning point was a couple months ago (yes, a couple months... it's been a ridiculously long, cold winter, and I wasn't about to do anything until the weather improved).  My dad asked if River has been okay since he finished his antibiotics for his bone cyst.  And I realized that my dad bought River's antibiotics with minimal complaining and no expectation that I repay him (which, at close to $30/day for over 2 months, is a LOT of money), and it's pretty ungrateful and unappreciative of me to not take advantage of the fact that my horse is alive and sound.

So I longed River Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  He's still like a hyperactive kid who needs recess, though.  I have to turn him loose in the indoor and get him moving, then he'll canter around and around and around.  Then he'll break to a trot and go around and around and around.  Eventually he'll stop and we can longe.  He's been pretty good, so maybe we'll get fancy and switch the halter for a bridle and add the surcingle and chambon.

Running around like an idiot last night...

Still an idiot...

Finally settling down a little.

Also yesterday, I was at the barn doing stalls and I wanted to see if River needed more hay outside, so I looked in his turnout.. wait, where is he?

Oh, there he is..

I've never seen him sleep flat out outside before, so naturally I had to sneak up to get a better picture.

Ooops.  Sorry.

Riv's 15th birthday was last week.  He was pretty exited...

That's a bit better.

I tried to take a selfie with him.


Well okay then.

One of these days we'll try, you know, riding.  After I have someone else ride him first, since he hasn't been ridden in over 4 months (I haven't ridden him in over 5, but a couple of my friends rode him around New Year's.


And in case you were wondering (*snort*), The Mare is doing well.  She has a new boyfriend.... they love each other.

It's a little ridiculous.

Ugh, orange and black.  It's like Halloween in their turnout.

So there's the update.