The big 3-0!

Okay, so it's not Moon's 30th. I can only hope he gets to be that old, like Mr. AJ over with Rlil.

Nope, I'm talking about my munchkin belly reaching 30 weeks! We're in the final 10 week countdown, and guess what?? I'm still saddling up :)

Love being behind this pony head!

Except Moon has been either insanely lazy for a horse that is in BEAUTIFUL body condition, or else he's been warned to behave for the next ten weeks. I'm not sure which.

I can tell you that on our Saturday ride, he had the SLOWESTWALKEVER. It was painful. I tried kicking. Digging my heels in. Slapping him with the reins. NOTHING. I seriously felt like I was back at a riding school with the old nags that barely move.

I got him out to the road and gave him rein for a canter....he went maybe a 1/4 mile at the slowest canter ever and then that was it. Wouldn't even trot really in the downward. Gave me another 1/4 mile canter back towards home, but still just so slow. I know I should appreciate how well he's cantering now, but lord, my legs were killing me by the end of the ride from having to use them so much!

Oh, and I *almost* fell off when he shook, while standing totally still. How can I canter just fine, feeling perfectly in balance, but that horse can shake so damn hard I end up clinging mane and neck?? :P Thankfully he's a shorty, so I'm pretty sure I would have just stepped down onto the ground if I couldn't hold on.

So beautiful after a recent thunderstorm <3

I'm still loving having him at home. Our rotational grazing program has been working well and we seem to have lots of grass coming back. The sacrifice paddock isn't even devoid off all grass, though he's broken a lot of the smaller trees scratching his belly.

I love it <3 Even when I'm not riding, I love getting to see him. I love that he's slim and not porking out, even without a grazing muzzle. I've ALMSOT gotten rid of his scratches, just one spot on the 2nd leg to get infected. And his tooth/gum issue seems to be fixed up too :) The only thing was yesterday he was a little stocked in his hind legs, mostly the one he debrided of all the skin a couple summers ago, and I know and expect this as it gets hot and he's not moving/working as much. He didn't show any signs of lameness and was still getting around fine.

Hoping to keep on riding, right till the end <3 I keep expecting it to feel weird or uncomfortable or awkward, but it really hasn't. The biggest thing is that when mounting my saddle tilts more because I *may* have put on a pound or two I didn't previously have to drag up there ;) But it's a good way to always make sure my girth is tight ;)

Seriously, how is this not heaven? Right in my own backyard <3