The Trail Ride

Hi again! Just an update on Buddy... For those of you who didn't know, he has allergies really bad. Last year they weren't even noticable. So it just came out of nowhere. They've been bothering him quite a bit. I thought maybe it was the pollen because it was really bad this year and when we had the super hard rain the other day, Buddy seemed to improve a little. I'm just not sure though. He was doing good Thursday morning, so I took him out for a short ride so he could get some excersize. I always ride bareback so he won't have the girth squeezing him around his middle. Even so, I had to MAKE him stop and catch his breath every little bit. He was so happy to be out he didn't want to stop. And when I would stop him, he'd swing his head around on mouth my shoes as if to say, COME ON!!

He's came a long ways in the 4 years I've had him. I can ride him with nothing but my hand and leg movements. Of course, I put his halter on when we go out because he gets a little over anxious. But even without the bit, he respects me. Which is why it's hard for me to say that I don't think he's gonna be around that much longer. At 17 he's getting to be an old man. I'm thinking seriously about retiring him completely. No riding whatsoever (As much as he seems to enjoy our time out) and to board him with some friends horses so he can live out the rest of his days with some companions in peace and quiet. Just pray for me as I try to decide what to do. I'm gonna miss our walks together when I can take his halter off and he follows me around like an overgrown puppy... He owns a big part of my heart.

If you'd like to read Buddy's Story, click on this link>>> http://www.freewebs.com/ontopofthehill/index.htm

Some pictures from our last trail ride:


Munching on some grass by the creek. (Look mom! No halter)



Where are you going without me??



Following me out of the woods and back down the trail...