Shots... DONE.

Folks are still here, and mom had her camera out so there are probably pictures.  Not that it was a particularly exciting event.  The only one that even remotely worries about a needle is Thunder and he was a VERY good boy this year.  The other three go, "Eh?  That was it?  Huh.  Okay, back to eating."

With helpers back and forth to pasture, I've been riding up and back - feeling kind of guilty about it, but I can't talk anybody else into getting on board.  I've been sticking to Sunny and Rufus, but last night I thought I'd brave Thunder at least for the trip back across the pasture. 

It was a very abbreviated ride.  We were fine for the flat part, but when we hit the first downhill it dawned on both of us at the same moment that we'd never done a hill bareback.  He was okay with my wriggling on and walked off just fine, but getting squeezed when I started to slide forward - not to mention the sliding - was a bit too much.  Since I've been on him a sum total of twice since November, I chickened out and slid off.  Not that he did anything bad, but I could tell he was getting anxious.  No sense pushing my luck - we'll have a few refreshers on the flat and then tackle some hills. 

So I swapped horses and hopped on Sunny instead with renewed appreciation for the time we've spent learning each others quirks - realizing just how much I wiggle around, bump him, squeeze him just hanging on.... and he still listens and determines what is random noise and what is an actual cue.   Pretty darn smart.

The horses and I are on our own up the hill again this morning - my folks are headed to the airport in KC to pick up my sister and niece.  They'll be here for a week :)  Vacation for them scheduled pre-new job for me, so I won't get to see them quite as much as I'd planned on, but at least it looks like the weather will be decent and they'll all keep one another entertained.

Other than that, not much new on the horse front.  So many excuses not to spend time riding, darn it!