Horsing Around

Obviously one of the highlights of our time living here in California is the horses. One day, the boys came in and told me they had taught them how to race accidentally or as Jackson said "race accident". Huh? So, they asked me to come watch and I did. They had taken bamboo sticks, that they found the first minute we arrived here in May and have played with every day since, and were pretending to "ride" their sticks like horses. Apparently as they "gallopped" all over the pasture, Oliver and Little Man decided to run with them. They laughed and giggled all about this for several days, the boys, not the horses that is. Oliver running after them.

There they go with Little Man in the lead.

Jackson trying to get Little Man to stop at the finish line.

While I was watching all this, Oliver decided to get a little nippy, with my apron...

He just about bit a hole in it....

Still working to free myself....

Yes, I have it now; but his neck is lunging out for another bite....

After all this fun, we let them out for awhile. Oooh, did they love that green grass for a snack. One of them ended up in the garden. Scott eventually came out and retrieved their harnesses and pulled them back into their pasture area.

Off to the Races

After the baths today, we were walking the horses to get them dry. Sarah Kelly was telling us that's what we were supposed to do (she had read all this in a book from the library). So we tried and tried and they were still quite wet. So Scott came up with the idea of races. What ensued was a race between the 2 horses with different runners. Not only do these horses need some exercise but they welcomed it. When we first started, they took off so fast that their "runners" lost the harnesses and it was clear these 2 (children and horses that is) wanted to run as fast as possible.Little Man is winning this race on the home stretch.

In this race there will be a jockey, Little Man Jack will ride Little Man the horse. Even though Little Man took off with a fast trot, Jackson held onto the withers and didn't fall off.

Coming in first again!

At the finish line (the gate) which is also the starting line.

Here we go, ready, set, run!

Go, Go, Go...

Manes are flying and tails are drying.

Heading out again; Oliver in the lead.

Little Man and Oliver

We knew before we came that there were 2 miniature horses on the property named Little Man and Oliver. What we couldn't tell from Google Earth was where they were. We could see 2 large buildings on the back of the acreage and assumed they were back there. However when we were slowing down to turn into the drive on Sun. we saw the horses right up front next to the fence. So basically they are right outside across the yard from the front door. We have discovered Oliver's not so nice personality (2 of us have been nipped) and Little Man's sweet deameanor. He is also a frequent nippee of Oliver's. Little Man will allow us to put a halter on him and lead him and is also easier to groom. Oliver on the other hand is stubborn, shakes the halter and tries to bite you if you groom him. Yesterday we gave up trying to groom or ride him, he bucked his hind legs up. Now, Scott, on the other hand has decided that he likes Oliver and this is a great challenge for him. So, today, he groomed him and handled him very well. He decided to halter him and lead him around, albeit it at a nice trot. He seems to be very adept at keeping Oliver's teeth at bay and Oliver has developed somewhat of a respect for him. Well, the rest of us just love and pet Little Man; he is adorable. Scott leading a reluctant Oliver around who is trying to pull off his halter.

Little Man does and goes wherever you want him to. Harris is convincing him to move for an apple treat.

Harris decided to help Tio and Christian with their job today. He declared, and I quote, "This is fun."Sarah Kelly convinced Jackson to ride Little Man. She told me this makes up for the time at the zoo that he begged to ride the horse but it was too expensive so we didn't do it.

A great climbing tree (inside the pasture)

Elizabeth's turn. She was never scared like we thought she would be. She and Jackson are the light ones and the only ones who have ridden.