On posting and posting

Ha, I made a horse-related funny. Shoot me now.

First, I've noticed I've been posting like a fiend lately. I'm guessing it's been because up until today, I wasn't really feeling satisfied like I usually am, working camps. I always bitch about it, but this summer I really meant it. Thankfully, a little girl helped me get my head on straight (she's really quiet, and today she finally opened up to me and started talking of her own accord and I felt good about working).

Second--well, three little things, really. It should not be that hard to stand up and sit down in the saddle when someone is telling you WHEN TO STAND UP AND SIT DOWN. How people manage to still screw up their timing is beyond me. Also, you can play other games on horseback (and off it) than Red Light, Green Light.

No, really. I don't care that apparently it's a sacred rule of horse camps that this game must be played at least once, THERE ARE OTHER GAMES. I seriously had more fun playing Red Rover with the kids last year, and we didn't even break any bones.

And finally, one very chatty little rider decided she was going to ask me why several other horses stabled at the barn weren't being used for camp.

What I told her: All the horses are very nice, really good horses, but some of them require more advanced riders because they're not as patient, and they're more easily scared.

What that's code for: THOSE HORSES ARE GOING TO KILL YOU BECAUSE YOU CAN'T RIDE WITHOUT A BABYSITTER.

And when I say they're "good horses", I mean that they'd as soon kick you as let you get on their back and ride them around.

Tact. It comes in handy when working with small children.

Also, I lucked out--I got to spend a whole hour standing in the sun with Pony A. Pony A is the pony I've been assigned this week, and he's a smart, headstrong little thing. We get along pretty well, and he's been more than tolerant of me dragging him around at the slowest possible trot (he likes to go, and go fast). At the same time, he's not the sort to say no to a morning nap in the sun. His first rider didn't show until after her riding slot, so we were literally waiting in the middle of the arena, figuratively twiddling our thumbs. A super sweet rider who I'd worked with last year came and hung out with me. She broke her arm before camp, so she's been doing crafts and walking alongside the rider who didn't show--they're good friends from when they were both kids I was in charge of last year. Anyways, it was a nice way to spend the first bit of camp. Pony A is very cute when he's having dream-twitches, though of course not as cute as Cuddles, who is absolutely adorable and also a dear to work with at camps because he is as patient as Jesus with little kids. Seriously, he just stands there and lets them poke and prod him and he doesn't even make like he's going to take a nibble. Which, if I was in his position, I would have done.

And wow, the Saga of Pony Camp. Sorry about that.

As a post script, I ought to offer this little tidbit: registered Quarter Horses (like Cuddles and Pony A) have to be named something original--no repeats allowed. I think there are some other rules as well. Anyways, what this leads to is their registered names being REALLY TREMENDOUSLY STUPID. Cody's name is TF Royal Zip Code (no, I don't know either). But Pony A?

Pony A is registered as, and I kid you not, Hokey's Pokey.

....Just contemplate that for a minute. NOW WATCH AS YOUR BRAIN LEAKS OUT OF YOUR EYES.