Saddling Up

 Squeegee gets the award this summer for the Most Patient Pony.  He has had a lot of little people in his Fan Club, and has been very busy taking our young guests for rides.   Little Vera (holding Dad's hand) didn't want to get on, at first. There were some stormy moments while she realized that Dad was right there with her and all was well. Once Squeegee started to walk with her, the storm clouds vanished, and it was all smiles and laughter.  In fact, getting her to relinquish her place in the saddle to sister Amelia was the hard part, and even then she still wanted to be with the pony.  What a great thing, to watch the little ones find new confidence in new experiences!

While we don't offer trail riding here (there are some excellent places, such as Algonquin Highlands Trail Riding, located very close by and we let them do what they do best), our horses do get quite an audience when they are working, especially when they are in lessons with Nancy (who is an Equine Canada Level 3 international coach, with several medals for students at the North American Young Riders competition to her credit)

Whether that audience is simply watching, or asking questions, or -- as here, keeping Taffy and the hens from interfering with the horse's concentration at the jumps -- they are very welcome.







Yesterday, after Rocky and Kate's lesson, the kids all trooped down to the far beach beyond the cookout beach with us to watch while Rocky learned about lakes, and getting his feet wet.  They were abuzz with questions about Rocky, and the jumps, and the reasons he was wary of that much water...







Seems like everybody learned something in that lesson!