It only comes once a year!

I love my horse. And despite all of his evil ways toward other living things, he loves me. You know how I know this? Because he let me do THIS to him:



That's love, folks. He let me stencil him with fake snow, hang fake flowers and LEDs around his neck, clip ribbons in his hair, and even hang junk all over his saddle.

Lookit the BOWS on his bridle! He was stunning. My legs looked nice too. Also I look fat but whatever.


Here's a group shot of most of the other horses you've heard about. Left to right is T on Goblin, then P on the lesson Arab Clipper, R on the fat lesson pony Valentine, my instructor Hardy on his buckskin QH Cisco, and, uh, somebody, on a Rocky Mountain Horse. I am bad with names!



Last one - the barn owner on her big warmblood Sylvan, and me again. Do I look like I was having fun? Cause I had a blast!




I am completely exhausted. Champ is HARD to ride in parades - he's on high alert, and I'm not sure if he's freaked out by the crowds or just angry that he's losing the "race." Because there are other horses in front of him, therefore it's a race, therefore he really wants to pass them. It was constant half-halts, full halts, and talking to him for two straight hours. He did a beautiful animated flat walk the whole time though, and that's really unusual for him.

Champ is such a goofy mofo. He wants to GO, but I want him to please stay with my group and please listen to me k thx? So I am forced to pick up the reins and take up some contact. This pisses him off and he's constantly trying to snatch the reins back out of my hands and sticking his tongue out and yawning with that exaggerated jaw wiggle. Just so I know that I am killing him, absolutely slaying him with my relentless iron grasp. (And when I say "relentless iron grasp"? I mean like 2" shorter than in the picture of Champ and Sylvan. That's TOO TIGHT for Champ, who is a picky damn horse.) And I think I've mentioned it before, but yes, that's the best bit for him. He truly deeply hates bitless getups and he, like Dixie, just gets really confused and canters through a snaffle.

Anyway, the two crazy brothers on the racking horses were back. They're local speed racking champions who have a pale palomino and a black racking horse. For parades they put OVERALLS on the horses' front legs and over their necks. The horses, who look like they're about to completely flip out at any moment, also rear on command. These dudes are the very definition of crazy country boys. I love watching them. From a distance.

I'm going to bed. Every muscle in my body is a little bit tired and sore.