Those are big dogs

Pearl waited and waited and waited for her turn to ride the horses at the ranch. It was a long wait and I admit I wasn't nearly as patient as she was. With 30 kids and two horses, it took awhile for her to finally make her way to the front of the line.

She eventually got her turn and loved every minute of it. I always get a bit apprehensive when she gets on a horse. A couple of years ago, she got bucked off one of those pony rides TWICE! At the same event! They had some teenage boys who could have cared less about keeping the kids safe leading the ponies around. There was also a parade going on at the same time and the pony Pearl was on got spooked when a band came by. Luckily Jeff had decided to walk alongside her and barely grabbed her shirt before she would have smacked her head on the ground. Then, to make up for the disastrous ride, they let her go again for free. Well, the next pony she got on got spooked or was just ornery and started to freak out. Needless to say Pearl was pretty scared of horses for awhile. But as the old saying goes, if you get bucked off, you get back on.
Cole must think a horse is a big dog. As soon as he saw the horses at the ranch, he started calling them dogs. He was fascinated with them, which has since spilled over to home. He finds every single book with animal pictures in them, and will search and search for all the puppies and horses. He wasn't nearly as patient as Pearl though when it came time for him to have a turn riding the horses. Even a kiss from Aunt Kimmy didn't help his impatience. I didn't let anyone but Troy - the owner - take Cole for a ride. Paranoid, yes.One of the benefits of being "city folk" at the reunion is that we stay at the ranch the entire weekend. So eventually everyone else goes home and we don't have to wait our turn anymore. All of us got to ride the horses. Me, Kimmy, Emily, Kurtis (his first time), my Dad, and Jeff. My mom was totally bummed she didn't go for a ride, but she had a bum wrist. She had horses growing up and really, is the only one of us who knows what they're doing.Howdy ma'm. I don't think I've ever seen Jeff on a horse before. He'd make a sexy cowboy, don't you think? He even tipped his visor and threw it at me in a gesture of true cowboy-ness.