Now for a lighter post.... or some pictures anyway.  :)

Telling secrets...

...and giving kisses.

I just love my Shoni Girl <3

I went to Christy's on Friday June 8th for a trail ride with Tabasco.

The horses were already saddled when I got there and I worked Tabasco in the round pen for a few minutes.  He did great and was nice and calm.  We led the horses outside and got on.  Christy was going to pony me until I get more comfortable with Tabasco so I handed her the lead rope.  I had my new bitless bridle on as well so I still had reins of my own.  I climbed on up on Tabasco then he decided he was going to do a little jig.  I don't know what we looked like or what all he did, but it felt like he was hopping a bit and walking sideways. Needless to say, Tabasco ended up losing his balance or tripping on a little hill as he was walking sideways and down we went.

At this point everything is in slow motion for me.  I see Tabasco getting up and I notice that my foot is still in the stirrup (I forgot to wear my cowboy boots and was wearing my sketchers with great tred/grip on the bottom *insert face palm here*).  Then I thought, "Oh great.  Now I'm going to get stepped on and drug."  Luckily when Tabasco got all the way up my foot came out of the stirrup.  Tabasco then trotted over a few paces to another horse and just looked at us like WE were the ones that tried to kill HIM.  He let me walk up to him and was fine with that.  Just a little wide eyed and breathing hard but not overly freaked out.  We have no idea what set him off in the little jig.

All of us are okay.  Tabasco hurt his shoulder some from the fall/the stirrup/my foot/who knows, Christy got some rope burn from trying to hang onto the lead rope, and I just have some bruises/a stiff body.  I've never been big on helmets until recently, but I was actually wearing my helmet too (go me!).

We went back into the arena and we worked Tabasco for a little bit, trying to undo what had just happened.  I got to slap the saddle, jump around, stand in the stirrups then get down (pretty much look like a lunatic) and then sit in the saddle a couple of times.

I'm really glad this happened while we were at Christy's so I know what to do if it happens to me at home.

I'm going back out there Tuesday morning and we're going to try the trail ride again.  I'm sure next time I'll have a better story to tell you all.  :)

On Friday May 25th, we went to visit Tabasco.  He had just had a bath the day before and wow did he look handsome!!!

Christy talked to us about how he's been doing.  Apparently, the first week Tabasco was there he wouldn't let her any where near him.  If she went in his pen he would walk away from her.  She finally won him over with some cookies.

Did someone say... COOKIES?!

Christy saddled him up and worked him for a little while showing us what he knows.  Tabasco did really good and I was impressed.  She said he does a lot better outside on the trail instead of in the arena.

Christy lunged him in the round pen for a bit and then it was my turn.  We didn't make it look as easy as Christy does, but we didn't do too bad.  :)  Doesn't take me long to get dizzy though...

Christy got on Tabasco and rode him around for a bit, then she asked me if I wanted to ride. I was a little hesitant at first ("are you sure he's ready for me" type thing) but then I sucked it up and got on him. 

Now, I haven't ridden a lot since Spider died in 2006 so my confidence isn't where it used to be, but Tabasco was such a good boy and I was in Heaven!! 

I'm going back out to Christy's the Monday after memorial day and we're going to take Tabasco and Christy's horse out on the trail.  I am so excited!!!  Not sure how many pictures I'll be able to get of that but I'm sure I'll be able to snap a couple ;)

Look at Tabasco- riding in a rope halter and lead rope  :D

I can't wait for Tabasco to come home!  It will be so nice getting back into riding and being able to spend more time with the horses doing fun stuff.  Maybe we'll even meet some more nice horse people to go riding with.  :)

Here's a sneak peak of my next post.  :)

We went to see Tabasco on 5/6 and got to visit with his trainer, Christy.  Tabasco is doing great.  He hasn't been ridden yet because they are still working with flexing and Tabasco is pretty stiff.

He got ponied by her big gelding on a trail ride and Tabasco couldn't figure out why that gelding got to be the boss (yep, that's Tabasco all right!).  He did really good and even got to play in a lake or two.  Christy didn't have anything bad to say about him other then him being a stiff.

It was so great to see him and it lifted our hearts a bit.  Tabasco was really enjoying the attention (and eventually some cookies).  He would even stop eating his hay and come over to me when I was on the other side of his pen.  I love my boy.  :)

On April 30th my partner in crime, my inspiration, my best friend, my Grandma passed away.

Beautiful, amazing, silly and fun.  Loving, caring, feisty and strong.  These are just a few words to describe Grandma and her larger than life personality.

She grew up on a farm and helped her Dad plow the fields, milk the cows, and helped prepare dinner (ahem. They didn't have stores you could drive to to buy your dinner back then ya know...).  I've always loved hearing Grandma tell stories about growing up and different things that happened in her life.  My absolute favorite story is:

Grandma and her brother Jim used to go racing on their work horses Tony and Babe.  Jim always got Tony, the fast gelding and Grandma always got Babe, the slow mare so Jim always won.  One time, they were coming around the grove and Grandma slipped off of Babe's back.  She managed to hold on by grabbing her by the mane and around the neck and she hollered, "Whoa Babe!!!"  Her Dad would not have been happy if he knew that they were racing the horses.

And then there's the story of how she met Grandpa:

Grandpa was friends with Grandma's Uncle, and he used to come over to their house all the time to play cards.  Grandma would make a point of standing by the table or sitting next to Grandpa.  Then her Dad would yell, "Marilyn it's time for bed!" 

I have always adored both Grandma and Grandpa.  Once when I was a teenager, Grandma had her record player playing some older country song.  Grandpa and Grandma got up and were dancing in the living room and Ace was jumping around and barking at their feet.

I am very thankful to have so many wonderful memories and stories, both Grandma's and mine. 

Grandma was a wonderful Mom, Grandma, and friend.  We miss her every second of every day and we're so blessed she was ours.  I love you Grandma and am looking forward to the day when I can wrap my arms around you again and tell you how much I've missed you. <3

Memory is a lovely lane,
Where hearts are ever true,
A lane I so often travel down,
Because it leads to you.

To have a friend in your mother is to know the greatest friendship of all.  My Mom is a never ending song in my heart of comfort, happiness, and being.  To the best friend and Mom anyone could ever ask for, I love you and Happy Mother's Day!