A Little Tongue for Grandma!

Sassy baby!

Renny's Inspection: The Perfect Braids!

On the Friday morning that we were preparing to leave, I got to the stable early to meet Darla. Darla did the braids for both Renny and Hailee and she did a beautiful job. Renny stood still like a gentleman through the quick process and got handsomer by the second. He kept peering at Darla out of the corner of his eye, and I could just tell that he was thinking about being naughty! But he made a good decision. Afterwards, he shook his head and neck and you could see that he was mad that we had braided his rock 'n roll mane, his Jim Morrison flowing locks. So, he whinnied in frustration, and crow-hopped and stomped around his stall.

Darla made Hailee beautiful too. I couldn't believe it. Hailee looked elegant and chic with her braids. Her neck really is lovely and long and well-set and the braids really demonstrated her strengths!

What was the best part is that my mare and foal had the very best braids by far at the inspection. And the funniest, dearest part of all was that Renny never had a single hair out of place. He didn't muss a braid. Didn't lose a braid. Didn't do anything but look spectacular with his tight sweet solid red braids!

But when we got home and I let him out with his girlfriend, Ruthie, he was finally fed up with being a good primped pampered boy. He kept leaning into me and being naughty because he did not want me to even touch his braids long enough to take them out. I had to come on Sunday morning when he had a good night's rest, rejuvenated himself, and was eating hay. Then he was happy to have me take out his braids and get him back to his gorgeaus natural self! He wanted to be an au naturale American Sportpony!

Peeking over the Fence!

Here's a photo in late July. Look at his hard-used halter. I don't know how, but he somehow lost his little brand new brown halter. Some kind-hearted person put this one on him. And I think I could probably name the foals who wore that halter before my Renny. What a sweet guy. And what sweet foals who shared that halter before him!

Renny's Inspection: The Outcome!

Over the next week, I will post stories about Renny's big inspection. This past weekend, Darla braided my mare and foal, and Barbie and I took them up to Metamora, Michigan at Windrush Farm for the North American Sportpony Registry Inspection process. I have prepared for this moment all summer, sending in paper work, proving Hailee's other registry memberships, taking DNA samples from them both, etc.

So, I was nervous about the big day. I shouldn't have been. My mare and foal were creatures of great beauty "on the day." They radiated perfect cute sportpony-ness. Any registry would be lucky to have them. So, Hailee earned a Blue First Premium ranking and was judged as being a 7.5 on her breed, type and conformation. The judge praised her many good qualities, including her beauty as a type, her excellent width in her elbow, her dry joints, correct shoulder and withers, and lovely front and hind legs. The only negative note she said was that Hailee had a short croup for her length of back and that she had a weak topline because of her lack of muscle from broodmaring! But Hailee was a true creature of loveliness. She looked wonderful and glossy at that inspection and I was proud of her Blue First Premium ranking.

My baby Renny was the smallest foal to be inspected, but the very best behaved. He radiated good spirits, high energy, sweetness, intelligence, and adorable good looks. In fact, the judge wrote on the inspection papers that he was a "handsome sportpony colt. Neck good proportion and well set on. Butt high on the day. Shoulder could be longer. Correct bite. Leggy colt. RF toes out. Walk improved over dam. Canter a bit downhill on the day. Trot has some suspension." The "On the day" comments were fun because she acknowledged that the babies were growing by the second and by tomorrow his butt might be even with his shoulders. At any rate, she gave him a 7.5 for his type, and 7 for his frame and movement, but he received a 6.2 for his conformation because of that little turn on his right foot that might grow out as he matures. He earned a Second Premium rating of 6.9.

Thus, my well-behaved, well-turned-out, gorgeaus mare and foal earned their certification as North American Sportponies!!! We all went home in triumph and happiness!

Strolling all Cute!

Here's a photo taken right before I left for Boston in late July. Check out that beautiful glossy red coat! When I returned just a few days later, he was even redder because his little belly hairs shed. Super duper cutie pie!

Sexy by the Fence

When I see those ears pointed toward me and that clever little face looking at me calmly and expectantly, my heart just jumps! What a sweetie! This photo is from late July. I know I say this all the time, but I don't think I'll ever forget how heart-skippingly great it feels to walk up to his stall, see Hailee, and then see these teeny ears. And then he lifts his face with that confident little air!

Peeking Over Ruthie!

Here's a photo taken in late July of my little sport, glancing at me over the shoulder of his girlfriend. You can see his rock star mane! What a scamp!

Down by the Creek!

Sometimes they like to play around, or stand at the fenceline by the road, or eat grass by this creek. But what's funny is when this young boy from the farm across the road walks under that bridge, so he can look in the shade for frogs.

These four horses go bonkers and run like scampering fools across the pasture and up the hill to the gate, all snorting with feigned terror at the intruder! They are a collection of happy drama queens!

The Whole Happy Pasture Krewe!

I am grateful for this summer. Here is a photo from late July. I am grateful for this little happy herd. I am grateful for Renny's chance to be a foal and to play like a foal with a buddy! Namaste.

Running for the Joy of it!

Okay, what's real fun is that some mornings when I put the horses into their pasture, Annie, Ruthie, and Renny just get filled with a pizzaz of spirit. They just tear around in circles in the pasture, running swiftly, mostly with Renny in the lead of his little happy fleet herd.

And his mama? She calmly eats grass in the middle of his madcap circling running herd. She doesn't even lift her head!!

Dear Fat Weanlings

I took this photo yesterday when I visited my horses in the morning while waiting for the vote. Look at my chubby little fella! He's so fat as compared to his lithe elegance in July. I am not sure if I am feeding him too much! But you can see that he's a calm sweet gentle fellow. When I come to the pasture, he looks up and walks right on over no matter how far away he is. He loves his Grandma! And guess what?! He may be chunky but Grandma can still put her arms around his girth and hug him all the way around!!

Anyway, I can hardly believe my good fortune from yesterday. Now I am going to turn my energies to deserving that vote of confidence...plus I'm going to work on getting baby and his mom ready for their big weekend event! I am looking forward to making that fat little guy handsome and shiny and clean for his inspection!

Bill and the Ponies!

On some of my mornings, this young man who is from a nice farming family, comes to do his work for the Valentine's. His name is Bill and he likes the horses real well. Violet really likes Bill and she just looks like a purring kitten when he pets her. His job is to weedwhack the perimeter of the farm, especially the pastures. So, the horses know him as the kind person who keeps their space neat and tidy.

Unanimous

This morning I drove to the stable on this gorgeaus, cool, sunlit day. I drove past corn turned yellow. Drove past a world brushed with the first hint of Fall. And when I got to the stable, I saw the babies out with their friend in the next pasture and all four girls in the front pasture. I was with my baby when I got the phone call that the vote was 7-0. Namaste.

Wrestling with Ruthie!

Okay, so every morning that is beautiful, sunny, calm, blue-skyed, billowy clouded and gorgeaus, I just thank the divine. I spend such unbelievably wonderful mornings with my lovely creatures. I can tell you. I realize that I am having one of the best summers of my life. I hope I can fulfill the social contract!

Okay, enough seriousness. Here's some more photos, taken in late July, of Renny learning how to wrestle for dominance. He's got it tough. His girlfriend is a supermodel with super long legs!