Grace's First Ride

Onward soldiers!

On Tuesday, my husband and I took Grace to my parents' farm for her first "official" horseback riding lesson. I cannot remember the first time I rode a horse, and so I have no fear of the large animals and it comes as naturally to me as breathing. If Grace chooses to pursue horseback riding, I would like her to have the same opportunities that I did.


Grace has great balance and really enjoyed herself! She screamed when we told her it was time to finish the ride.



Afterward, David shows Grace how to groom the horse.

Grace was more than happy to try it out for herself.


Afterwards, Cima (the mare on the right) and Patriot said hello. Cima is partially blind in her left eye after poking it on a tree branch in the pasture twenty years ago.

By the way, Cima (short for "Rose of Cimarron") is a former BLM Spanish Mustang, whom my mom adopted in Wyoming over 25 years ago. She is really a bay but is so old now her entire coat is sprinkled with gray.


Cima and Siwan also said hi. Siwan is so sweet and has a very similar temperament to Cima's.

I cannot believe how gray Cima has gotten. This photo was taken of me with Cima by my friend, Michelle, last year and you can see the difference.


This is Patriot, my sister's loveable boy.


Cymry's telling me here how she did during the USPC Championships. Sounds like they did pretty well!

While Cymry and I were talking, Grace was doing this... :)

While we were there, Dad and the boys drove up.

Wait - what is that in the front seat?


I love Zorro's face here...he seems absolutely puzzled! (Zorro is the German Shepherd, by the way....he's rarely seen without a ball in his mouth).


This is actually a buck Matthew shot last fall! They had just picked it up from the taxidermist.

Not only does Matthew have this beautiful head to mount now, but he supplied the family with a freezer full of venison for the year.



I told them this photo looked like they were at an Alaskan hunting lodge. They said, "I wish!"

My youngest brother, Ian, shows off a couple of skeletons he found in the woods a few days ago.

I took this just because I liked it. This is Lily (left), my sister's dog and Ian's pup, Jack. They are both purebred Jack Russell Terriers.