Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

After school today (Wednesdays are half-days), I motored over to the coast with Nate and Kelly (Skip, at highschool, is stuck in full-day purgatory), and a bag full of Wendy's take-out.

We got to the ranch by 1, and it was looking pretty deserted. None of the horses on the line were saddled up, but that's OK. Usually week-days are pretty quiet.

Eddie was not on the line, but soon our poking around got the attention of Jorge, and he said that Eddie was out in the pasture, and Kelly could get him if she wanted. Did she want to ride him? he asked. Um, no. Kelly's getting a little bit afraid of Eddie, actually. All this time not-riding him has made him head-strong and extra spook-ish. But the ring would be available, after they moved the mare and her colt back to their stall.

Kelly grabbed her lead rope, and headed out to the pasture. Uh oh. Eddie's managed to shed his halter, and his head is naked. There's nothing to clip the rope onto. I went to tell Jorge, and he gave me a rope-halter that would work in the interim. Well, Eddie can smell a trap a mile away, and he'd come near for the sugar cube in my hand, but bolt away the minute he caught sight of the halter out of the corner of his eye.

It became apparent that he was slipperier than Kelly was able to deal with, and I could feel Jorge watching us from his porch. Soon, I could see him walking across the yard. I was ready to call it a day. Some days, you just can't catch the horse, you know? But Jorge was coming over with a little bucket full of tasty, tasty grain. I have no idea what was in that bucket, but ALL the horses perked up their ears, and started moving towards the gate.

I felt bad for Jorge. He wasn't wearing his work boots. He was wearing sneakers, and that pasture, by the gate, was ankle-deep mud. Ouch! I should probably get him a Jamba Juice card, or something, for all his trouble this afternoon. But soon he'd managed to snag Eddie, and make all the other horses mad because they didn't get the snacks.

I was in charge of the bucket of oats for the walk back, and i must say, I was Eddie's Best Friend EVER!

In the ring, Kelly would walk him around, and every time he came to the gate where I was standing, he'd want a snack. Perhaps I was a bit of an enabler, but I did offer him a handful of oats on nearly every lap. Maybe that's why he wasn't really paying attention to the instruction that Kelly was trying to give him.

"Eddie! You are being a butt!"

She was shooting lazer beams out of her eyes at him.

But then two seconds later, she was in love again.

This does not bode well for any young men in her future.

Happy:

Signs of trouble...

Angry:

Finally, the clock told us it was time to go. Kelly took Eddie out to the line-up, and we vacated the premises.

But it was SUCH a lovely day, I decided that we'd be just a little bit late picking up Skip from school.

(oh, and this was my submission for dailyshoot.com today. A photograph with a path)

The beach was glorious.

Perfect for going barefoot.

it's too bad we couldn't stay there all day.

And now they want to know when they can go back.