Last night I went to the barn after a busy day at work. I had the whole barn to myself and put out my little herd in the roundpen where you see Hailee standing in this photo. The sun was that wonderful late afternoon Fall muted sunlight that falls golden all over. Violet looked radiant against the seasonal leaves and the harvested corn field. Hailee was gorgeaus. And Renny adorable. I got the barn to myself and got to blanket, feed, and shut up the place. That's rare for me to have that treat -- and it was just right on this sunny muted Fall day! There is nothing like the sound of a barn full of horses eating. I am pretty sure He intended that noise as the sound of celestial contentment.
Anyway, I went back to the stable this morning early and it was a beautiful drive out. The fields look great in their post-harvest state and the leaves are changed and falling. And we had a fog that deepened the closer I got to Showgate. I visited with my herd, took Violet for a long-line drive around the farm and down by the road, had a nice quiet ride, chatted with Coy, and let my mare and yearling enjoy a morning in the roundpen. Coy and I talked about Doc Bar, War Admiral, Man o' War, Black Gold, Beggar Boy and Seabiscuit. He talked about his childhood and I prattled on about the Throughbred Training Center. I love talking horses with people and Coy is very knowledgeable about the Western side of my equine family. Turns out Doc Bar, a relative to Hailee, was a failed race horse, but was savage and tough and eager about running down cows! Vi is a very mouthy curious girl and so when I showed up this morning, she gave me her face so that I could see that she had cut and blistered her lip, poor girl. She probably hurt herself chewing some sharp object. Ugh. And I noticed that my little guy has gained a lot of weight since he switched from baby grain to regular. So, I am asking that he be cut back.
But here's what's funny. Coy went to bring Hailee in and she slipped away from him and took off blazing across the cut cornfield through the mist and sun. She looked so pleased with herself. She lifted her beautiful tail and held her head high. She was all that and a bag of chips. So, Violet and I and Coy and Barbie went after her. And I am super duper ear-to-ear proud that Hailee waited with quiet patience and trust for me to retrieve her. I know it's not nice to say, but one of the very nicest parts of my life is the fact that these three amazing wonderful equines love, trust and respect me. They really see me as an integral part of their herd life. Namaste!
