Good Morning

My twin daughters graduated from college last weekend. One of them returned home with us for the summer, and yesterday - her first morning back - she was awakened by someone knocking on the window. That someone was George.

So she got up and sat on the kitchen steps, sharing an apple with the horses. After that she thought it would be nice to have a little pyjama ride on George. She added a helmet and a pair of boots to her ensemble, while I fetched the halter and leadrope. I was getting ready to give her a leg-up, when George backed away.

My daughter, who works with children a lot, spoke to George in what she calls her soothing voice: "Would  it be ok, George, if I had a little tiny ride - just while you eat grass? Could I just climb up for a little bit - maybe just two or three minutes - would that be ok?"

We tried again, and George stood quite still. My daughter said, "I guess we just had to ask nicely." True.

George was a little confused at first. There's someone on my back, but we're not doing anything - what's up with that? Then he cottoned on that we just wanted to hang out while he grazed. And he puttered about while my daughter lolled on his back.

At one point he went to investigate the electric strand on the fence. I've noticed before that he'll check it out with his lips to see if it's on. This was the first time I witnessed him discover that it was on. He was only a little startled.

My daughter, who had been feeling rather blue at the closing of her halcyon college days, said, "You can't get up in the morning and ride a horse at college." So, good job, George.

Time to get up, young lady!