A Pony Most Helpful

Mimi has a new trick.  She's decided that she enjoys "helping" me during the whole process involved with riding.  In the last couple of weeks, she has displayed two new methods of helping.

Two weeks ago, she "helped" me put away her Renegades.  Normally when I remove her boots, I toss them in the general direction of the dressing room door where I hang them after cleaning them up a bit.  On this particular day, I was feeling a bit lazy, and instead of tossing the boot to the door, I just dropped it in front of Mimi.  The top velcro captivator strap was still undone, so she grabbed the loose end, picked it up, and proceeded to toss it over to the door...exactly the way she had watched me do the same.

She looked very pleased with herself, even glancing over at me to see my reaction (jaw dropped, wondering where she came up with that).  She's always been a very oral pony...destructive when she was younger, but entertaining now.

This past weekend, she put her oral fixation to good use.  I had put her halter on, and was standing at her stall gate, waiting for Dad and Beamer to be ready.  Mimi was kind of impatient, poking at me, then poking at her gate, wanting to go.  Finally, she got fed up and took the leadrope from where it was draped over my arm, picked it up with her lips, and walked over to her gate.  I suspect if I had opened the gate, she would have gone over and jumped in the trailer on her own volition.

Now I'm kind of curious as to what the following weeks will bring.  Mimi, will you carry the crew box for me at rides?

Wickenburg: one and a half weeks and counting.  The already done list:

• Entries sent in
• ponies hooves are diligently rasped and should only need light tough-ups between then and now
• trailer is scrubbed out and waiting for fresh shavings
• AERC membership renewed
• new splint boots ordered 
• new helmet acquired 
• Woolback pad vigorously brushed, fluffed, and field tested to determine suitability as a secondary pad.  Verdict: Success!  Three rides in a row, 40 cumulative miles, great contact marks and sweat patterns.  I love when something I already have around the house ends up working.
• new Yankz! laces on both pairs of riding shoes

I love the first ride of the season, and the feeling of anticipation leading up to a new year and fresh season.  Y'know, the time when you say, "This is the year I'll do x."  And whether or not x happens, the potential for it is part of the excitement of starting a new season.