A Gift from Nana

Nana has been known to peruse Craigslist ads from time to time. Not that she's looking to make a purchase; it's more the online equivalent of window shopping. She happened to notice an ad for a reasonably priced kid-safe pony. She sent me a text asking if she bought a pony, would it be able to live with Flash.

She's Not a Toddler, She's a Horse!

I was going to take Shelby and Scarlet to the park after we finished at the barn. On our way out, Shelby seemed less interested in leaving than usual. Nobody else was there. I eyeballed the new round pen. I thought, maybe I'll just let them play in there for a while.

Bringing Baby to the Barn

Shelby's been going to the barn with me almost every day for a long time now. Starting when she was teeny tiny last winter, I would wrap her in my Baby K'Tan and cover us both with a big jacket. She would snuggle against my chest and watch everything. Sometimes she'd sleep the whole time.

What Scarlet Taught Shelby About Dogs

Scarlet has been a spectacular addition to our family from the beginning. She came to us through James' brother, who had her on a week-long trial basis to see if she would cohabitate well with the two dogs they already had. She'd been a solo pet before that. I took one look at her, and she took one look at me, and we knew we belonged to each other.

Sappy, right? But that's how it was.

Finally Back in the Saddle!

The stars must've aligned perfectly and the gods of horse lovers must've been smiling at me, because I've ridden four days in a row this week.

How to Clean a Saddle When a Toddler is on the Loose

I brought home my saddle and bridle to clean. I thought I'd do it while Shelby was sleeping, but the sun came out and I thought, why not clean the saddle while Shelby plays outside? I don't recall seeing this process documented anywhere, so I thought I'd write a quick how-to for anyone who wishes to try it.

Yay for SmartPak!

Flash has been on her new supplements from SmartPak since last Thursday. She gets them in the evenings, so she's only had them three times so far. I wasn't expecting to see any results until she'd been on them for a week or two. But holy maloney, what a difference these supplements have made.