Photos from today

[Minouri]

Lori, so it's ok to post pictures? Just tell me either way.

I thought I'd share Cosmo's first family trail ride.

This is Tony and Cosmo figuring each other out in the backyard before the ride. Cosmo is a lot faster than Snowy ever was.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e48/RuthieBetta/DSC03041-1.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e48/RuthieBetta/DSC03040.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e48/RuthieBetta/DSC03036.jpg

When the boys were finally in a groove we set off onto the trails. I was proud of both Tony and Cosmo. On one the trails we had to squeeze past a truck with the door open and the radio playing....he didn't even back away from it.....just followed the other boys through.

Cosmo doesn't really like not being first, but Tony isn't used to his speed yet and just wanted a relaxing ride.

It was really muggy and buggy....so you won't see many smiles in the next few pictures....even though I suspect they were having fun.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e48/RuthieBetta/DSC03026.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e48/RuthieBetta/cosmo2.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e48/RuthieBetta/DSC03027.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e48/RuthieBetta/DSC03025.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e48/RuthieBetta/DSC03023.jpg

Cosmo led the way home and I think they went a bit faster than Tony wanted too....but all in all it was a great ride.

As soon as Cosmo was back in the yard his whole body fully relaxed...aaaah, nice to be home.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e48/RuthieBetta/DSC03038.jpg

And even Tony was smiling again
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e48/RuthieBetta/DSC03045.jpg

[JennLM]

That last pic says it all! Cosmo sure looks like he is making Tony happy and I'm so glad he gets to stay.

[Terri]

Yeah!!! WAY to go Tony and Cosmo!! I am sooooo glad they are getting along. Cosmo is a NICE horse, Tony will love him. How did he saddle up today? And hey, I thought we weren't allowed to go in the cornfield?

It was awful hot and muggy today, the deerflies must have been miserable.

[Pasomom]

Great Pictures, and yes, you can post pictures. Once posted, ... unposting will not help with the bandwidth problem. Every time we run out, it is at the end of the month. We are susposedly alloted so much bandwidth per month. Deleteing old pictures won't help the situation. Thats the way I was told by Lori.... Deleting old threads won't help either. Once posted ..... it has used up "x" amount of bandwidth. unposting doesn't help. We hope to have this problem worked out soon, but it might help if we didn't use so many emoticons all the time. Save it for pictures LOL. Each time we increase bandwidth, it cost us more $$ per month to run this website. So a few emoticons is fine, lets just not get carried away like we sometimes do ; - )

[appyday]

He is pretty..I really like that boy..

[Minouri]

He is pretty..I really like that boy..

I think she means Tony....(giggle)

[Minouri]

Terri,

They stayed on the path in the cornfield....and yes the bugs were awful! I had a leafy stick in my hand to help swat them away in the fields. They aren't in our backyard..thank goodness.

[appyday]

I ment the horse...:bop:

[Minouri]

I ment the horse...:bop:

Without an emoticon....that barely hurt at all.....lol

[TrueStepPaso]

Ruthie...you're funny! So witty...

[Jane Hurl]

Awwww, and Snowy got to go too. That's warm and fuzzy.

[Minouri]

Jane,

You know Snowy, he hates to be left behind. Look at how happy he was to lead the way...

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e48/RuthieBetta/DSC03032.jpg

He went on the trailride with Terri and Chrissie, too, just didn't make any of the pictures that day because I rode him. The only part of the trail you can't ride him through is the short walk through the woods to the main path. Too narrow with too many turns and dips. We hand walk him through that part then hop on when we reach the trail.

If all works out well, he'll be on the trails even more often. My friend is trying to board next door so her daughters (both older) can ride Snowy with us. They came out and tried him and fell in love.

Nancy actually gave me money the last time she came...although I tried to refuse it...for riding Snowy. Before long she'll probably ask me for a contract to lease him. I tried to tell her that she already has first riding dibs on him whenever she wants to because she is so kind to him. I think she just finds so much joy with him that she's afraid it could suddenly be taken away...or that I'd sell him to someone.

Don't get me wrong, we could use the money -- but when she pays me (usually it's with gifts before every ride but it's becoming cash) it makes me a little sad. I'm not sure I can totally explain why...my first guess is because she does not see the value of what she does for him unless money is involved?

Or do I feel like my word that she is welcome and that she is valued here is not enough unless an exchange of money has made the deal legit?

I know, stupid. I should probably just tell her....Nancy, for $100 a month you get first riding option on him...or write up some sort of partial lease for her...and she'd probably be happier. Tony would be happier.

I'm not opposed to making money.

It's just that when I asked her to ride him I meant what I said...the only payment necessary was kindness and understanding of his condition. And she has done that.....better than I could ever have dreamt a person would. She rides him better than my own family does because she has spent so much time getting to know him.

I think the money offends me when she gives it to me. Somehow saying I didn't mean what I said.

And that's stupid because we could absolutely use money coming in to fix up the place more.

See, I can't really pinpoint it. Maybe it's like making dinner for a friend and having them try to pay you for the food they ate?

No, that's not really it either.

Could just be pride...and with three horses and the price of hay I should definately put that aside.

Are there any therpists on this board?

Tony walked in while I was forcing Nancy to take the money back and the look he gave me was.....are you insane?

I'm willing to accept that diagnosis....I've often wondered.

[Edurne]

that's a hard one Ruth. I hope you find a solution that meets both your needs. I pay a partial board for Primero, even though the Landlord would have been happy for me to keep Primero there free. I help out, especially with the mares and yearlings and he loves what I do with them. Primero also earns his keep babysitting youngsters and used to lead young ones in training. Paying the board gives me a certain sense of independence - even though it is nowhere near the real value of the care he gets.

[Barbwire]

Ok, let me throw this out there...You said your neighbor is causing trouble, what if he gets wind that money is changing hands and tells the town you are leasing horses? Will that get you into more hot water?

Maybe it's best no money changes hands.

[Terri]

YES!!! Ruth I think you should take the money. You now have 3 horses that are NOT cheap to feed. Plus I am sure Nancy feels uncomfortable coming to ride your horse without "chipping in" towards his upkeep. This should be a win/win/win situations for you all. You have someone coming to excercise and love Snowy and a little extra to help toward hay. Nancy has a horse "of her own" she can come and love and ride and yet at the same time pay a heck of alot less than if she was boarding her own horse or even taking weekly lessons. And Snow has lots of people that love him.

I have a kid who is 1/2 leasing Mico right now. I gave her July as a "freebie" to see if she really liked him. But starting in Aug I am going to charge 1/2 what I charge for board. This is still less than her mom is paying for a ONCE a week lesson on an old school horse. She can come several times a week (pretty much whenever she wants). She loves to just ride and hang out at the barn with my other kids. I'll take her to horseshows and out on the trails. This is win/win/win for everybody involved. I get help buying hay, she gets a pony to call "her own" and Mico is loved by lots of people.

Just make sure waivers of liability are signed.

[Minouri]

Barb,

Never even thought of that side. Hmmm.