Horse Fever

     We never intended to open the door to horses for the girls.  I am INCREDIBLY fortunate to have grown up with horses.  There are the plus sides like the joy of animal companionship, the rewards of competition, and learning skills like budgeting and how to back up a trailer.   Then there are the huge obstacles like physical labor and astronomical, unrelenting expenses.  Knowing the girls' usual timid reaction to animals (pets, large and small), I never figured horses would become an obsession.

     However, somehow Maya caught horse fever after a week at Girl Scout Day Camp this summer.  Now, mind you, she did not ride at camp.  She did not even visit with horses.  There were a couple girls in her group that split off once a day to do the riding program, and Maya lamented that she was not among them.  We finished the summer by visiting a couple county fairs where they only wanted to spend time in the horse aisles (or the snack stands).  I did note that they were not at all interested in watching other 4-H children compete in the ring.  Maya and Genna were strictly drawn to petting horses (that didn't look likely to bite).  

     In August, after a visit to the Kentucky Horse Park, there was an intriguing ad on Craigslist.  A woman in Otsego (25 minutes away) had a herd of 8 horses, 7 mares and one stallion.  Having 2 small children of her own, she had too many horses and too little time to work with them.  She was offering some of them for on-site leases, where she would maintain all care responsibilities and for a reasonable monthly fee, the leasee could ride, pet and groom to their hearts content.  This was a group of AQHA mares at various levels of training and ride-ability.  We were matched up with Annie, who's small frame from being at the bottom of the herd's pecking order, was better suited to child-size riders.  She was broke enough and had some "halter showing experience".   She was going to fit the bill to teach the girls some walk, trot, canter.  After I got the OK from the owner to use my Hunt Seat tack, we agreed to a 3 month trial for Sep-Nov.

The Ladies

     We had enough time to go see the horses about once a week.  While we discussed having the girls experience some of the barn chores, there really wasn't much of that since the horses were field-kept, had automatic waterers, and their round bales were delivered by tractor.  
     We started our sessions with grooming followed by a 20-30 minute lesson for each girl, and wrapped it up with doling out treats all around.  Of course there were some things the girls couldn't do like saddling, bridling, hoof-picking, and reaching the high parts of grooming.  Then slowly, Maya began to lose interest in the part of the grooming routine she could help with.  She preferred to play with the other horses lazing in the pasture, while Genna entertained the cat with the end of the lunge line or entertained herself on the family's swingset.  
     Their lessons made the cycle of being nervous, to being bored at not going faster.  Wanting to trot and canter, then regressing to not wanting to leave the lunge line.  Annie was rideable, but not one of those dead-broke, affable, lesson ponies.  She had her moody times and required a lot of leg to maintain any speed or not cut corners.  Eventually she got some bad habits that the girls weren't strong enough to overcome (like leaving the lesson "ring" area and going behind the barn).  Then after a spooking incident where a tarped boat trailer was parked in a new location, Maya never really got her mind back into the game.  I rode Annie a couple times, but as she was too small for an adult rider, we didn't really get along.  She certainly wan't pleased with the contrast of my authoritativeness versus a child's weight and hand.  
     To top things off, and really turn their stomachs, there was that one time where the outing to the barn with an amiga ended with a trip to the emergency room after said amiga took a header off the hay bales and required 2 stitches in the eyebrow.  
So after 3 months, I broke things off with the owner and I think it's safe to say we dodged an expensive bullet with the horse business.... meanwhile I am left daydreaming with the Chronicle of the Horse and USEF in my FB newsfeed.

Back to School

On the way to the bus for her first day of kindergarten Genna said her tummy hurt. I asked, "Is it because you are nervous?" She said, "No, I'm happy." Which is something she NEVER admits to. So I guess the bellyache was from too many pancakes and she is going to have a great year.

The cul-de-sac is packed with kids now.  11 total from ages 1-12.  It makes us even more complacent on the house hunt.   We actually put a bid on a house in the neighborhood this fall, but backed out AGAIN, after our pal, Randy, from Housesmithe gave us a detailed inspection.  This is the 3rd time he saved us from impending doom (AKA the typical trials and tribulations of home ownership).  If we ever really want to buy a house, we should probably skip his services next time. 

Cousin David and Maya face off on Friday night AYSO.
We were surprised Maya wanted to play soccer a 2nd year.  It didn't appear that she took an interest in it last year.  Even more surprising was that Genna said she wanted to play!  So just as we signed our lives and $250 away to 3 days a week for 7 weeks in the fall and 7 in the spring.... they both decided they didn't really want to play.   Ugh.  

Maya's getting angsty.  

Bluegrass Country

In mid-August we has the opportunity to combine some of Jeff's speaking engagements with a family road trip.  We began with an early morning drive to southern Indiana for a lunch-time gig, en route to Louisville.  After going out for BBQ and spending the night in a fancy hotel, we hit the road south to Mammoth Cave.  We camped 2 nights here and did 2 cave tours.  The girls got another Junior Ranger badge.

Like mother like daughter.  

Ranger Mary awarding badges.

On our way across the state we stopped at Lake Cumberland.  The draw of the lake is so boat-oriented, the woman at the Marina Lodge desk could not even think of a recommendation for a drive-up swimming hole.  Finally we found one and enjoyed a quick warm dip and some jumps before an afternoon rainstorm.

The girls' highlight of the trip was the Kentucky Horse Park.  (OK, that was probably a second to the hotels with pools.).  Since Maya caught a bit of horse fever over the summer at Girl Scout Camp, she was eager to spend time with the equines.  The only riding they were old enough for was the pony ride, but what they really wanted was to spend time petting the horses in the paddocks.  We had to drag Maya away as it started to drizzle.  The Park was a bit of a let-down (to mom), as the KY School Children had already gone back to school and they seemed to be in a maintenance mode rather than wanting to be bothered by inquisitive tourists.  The grounds would have been more lively if there had been a show the calendar, but as we arrived on a Monday, one had just left and the next one had not yet begun.

Maya's first (horse) kiss!

Ohio River Bridge at "The Banks" park in Cincinnati    

We wrapped up the midwest tour across the river from Cincinnati.  Even though the girls are generally miserable while traveling, human nature forces us to remember the positive experiences and downplay the minute by minute tedium.  So I guess, there will be more travels in our future.