Merry Christmas!

I will not be spending Christmas on my computer, so I will go ahead and wish everyone a Merry Christmas today!  I was unsuccessful in riding my boy this week, but I DID get him up to the ring and attempt to make him run around.  That counts as something ... right??

My AMAZING barn owner surprised me with yet another amazing Christmas gift.  My first year there, it was front and hind Equifit T-boots.  Last year, it was my gorgeous leather halter with the chrome hardware.  This year, it was Adequan.  Yes, the Muffin will be started on Adequan in January.  I was a wee bit confused when I peeked in my gift bag and saw mounds of syringes and a pack of needles ... and then I saw the tiny little 5mL bottles.  Joyce is just amazing, and I am SO lucky to work for such an amazing person; she and her hubby are 2 of the most generous, and kind people I've ever met.  So this year, I will skip the hock injections and load him up for the month of January, then dose him monthly; I will then compare results at the end of the year and determine which regimen did him the most amount of good.  Of couse, that means I need to RIDE him:)

My also amazing honorary little sis Nicole is SO good at finding me horse stuff even I had NO idea I really wanted.  She knows me very well, and is a MASTER at finding stuff online.  I LOVE halters with silver toned hardware, and one of my favorite brands of halter is the Weaver Elite nylon halters.  Problem is, the Elites have a somewhat funky sort of pastel color palette suitable for 12 year olds, but not sure I am in love with many of the available colors.  I love my chestnut in good 'ol royal blue.  It's my favorite color on him, and it's the official barn color (royal, black, and silver) of my imaginary barn.  Well, little sis found what I thought didn't exist ... a Weaver Elite halter with the brushed silver hardware in royal blue!

She got me a matching lead rope too, of course!  Muffin got to go out yesterday afternoon in the muddy pasture, and had to get in some good 'ol Thoroughbred racing around his pasture.  He came tearing around a corner and I mentally began counting down time before wipeout.  Sure enough, his left hind came out from under him, he went down on his hindquarters, and slid a good distance.  It was both horrifying and hilarious, and when he got up, bucked, farted, and took off up the hill looking sound as a dollar, I allowed myself a good laugh.  Of course, he can't escape unscathed ...

(war wound)

I put in some good 'ol elbow grease time and cleaned up his filthy self.  The weather has been SO mild, so he hasn't worn a sheet all week.  He's for sure engaged in some rolling in the mud this week, enjoying his nakedness.  I groomed him, clipped his muzzle and bridlepath, and took him up to the ring for some running around.  Well, he was much more interested in eating, but I DID get a few little trots and canters out of him.

Look at the chunky monkey.  I'm relieved to see his topline is still intact; must get him back in some good dressage work SOON!!!  Anyway, hope everyone in blogger land has a WONDERFUL holiday!  Go hug your ponies, eat WAY too much, and enjoy a few days off work:)