There's a Goat in the House, and a Dead Fish on the Horse

Saturday evening I was chatting with my mother on the phone, turns out I sold all my bread, most of my cookies and none of my rolls, although people really liked them when they tasted them, go figure. My husband walked in, and asked if I was going to join him in the goat milking. "Will we be doing it in the house? I asked. Standing in my kitchen, right behind my husband was Patch, the milking goat. I heard on the phone "Tell him to save that for winter." Suddenly there was a chorus of "There's a goat in the house" As my boys discovered Patches. "There's a goat in the house" Come on, where else would you milk a goat? It's right next to the fridge, so simple.

I am not a cowgirl by any means. You will not see me here telling you how one rides a horse, unless it is one of my how not to articles. But I am walking like a cowgirl this morning. Sunny has put on at least 110 lbs since we were given him. He still has some weight to gain, but it was time to start working him. I was informed that it is good to make him sweat. Although Sunny is 18 years old and was severely neglected, he is still in good shape. Years of barrel racing did him some good. He is still very ridable. Yesterday we saddled him up, and put on the bit and bridle we were given. I am not in the greatest of shapes, and had to stand on Lot's love seat to get up. One would think that with all the physical labor I do, that I would be about to saddle up, oh no! This requires new muscles.

Up I went, Sunny complained a bit, then walked. He listens wonderfully for a horse that hasn't actually been worked for almost 2 years. He stood still as I talked to the neighbor, and is trained to neck ummm...shoot Lost the word. You push rather than pull on the reins. (one of you out there can remind me what it is called.) My horse neighbors were concerned about the bit. They said it was called a hachamoore (spelling probably wrong) and to come over and get a snaffle. We replaced the bit, and chatted a bit. The few times Sunny had been worked in the past few years, this was the bit that was used. I quickly found out why this bit was used. As soon as we got back into our own field, he bolted, well not ran, but began a gallop, trot thing. I had to e-brake 3 or 4 times to get him to stop as he was no longer responding to whoa! Oh my flipping goodness whoooooaaaa!

Sunny and I however came to an understanding after a half hour session of WWWHOOOOAAAA! He was once again responding correctly. I took him back out into the front yard as he seems more uncomfortable up front than he does in the back and will listen better. We walked a bit, then I got him to trot. Soon we headed out the front gate and took to the road. He wanted to go into other peoples yards, but I managed to keep him on the road. We walked a tad, than I turned him about. He figured out that we were headed home, and took off. Once again I had to slow him down, than made him walk past our house. We did this a few times, than began to trot.

I will be using an ace bandage from here on out. We were trotting nicely along, and the new males neighbor and his brother decided to stop working on their fence and watch me. I know better than to think that they were just admiring my horsemanship, as the milk goat and I have 1 thing in common. I slowed Sunny down very quickly, and turned about. I did trot for my husband, because I was being an ornery child.

Back out into the field, Sunny was pushing me. He was wanting to run. I don't know. I have only been up on a horse twice my entire life Even my neighbor that is great with horses has an issue with running. But he wanted to so much. I told him to go for it and we sprint across the field. It feels so much better than the trotting. But there was a flash of, oh my, seasickness.

I can feel it all this morning. And the horse neighbor and I have a riding date Wednesday.