Pony Update...

The sassy twins...together again!

For those of you that may have missed the announcement, my good friends (and I may rethink that over the coming months) brought their pony Cookie back to NJ for my daughter to ride and show this season.  Cookie came to visit us 2 summers ago, but missed last season due to an unfortunate pasture injury. 

Sophie is thrilled to have Cookie back, and Cookie is clearly thrilled to be the center of attention again, albeit less thrilled to be back in work. 

I can't blame her.  Most of us have at one time or another been in the unenviable positioning of getting ourselves back into shape, whether for health reasons or simple vanity.  If you've ever been an athlete and had to rehab from an injury, you know the dual frustration when faced with lack of fitness and pain from rebuilding atrophied muscles and ligaments. 

Sophie is gaining valuable horsemanship lessons as she rehabs the pony.  Under the watchful eye of her trainer, she is being very careful about warming Cookie up, making sure not to work her too long or too hard, and to avoid making small circles or turns.  It's a great lesson in patience and responsibility for her, and I'm thankful she has the opportunity to learn it. 

Shhhh...Massage in progress

Sophie is a soccer player, and knows how when she starts practice again at the beginning of the season her muscles get sore, and she made the connection that Cookie's muscles might be feeling the strain of her new job.  I have a hand-held roller-ball massager that she rolls all over Cookie after a work, much to the pony's visible delight.  Cookie yawns and chews happily, both signs of muscle release, and the child enjoys bonding with her pony. 

I'd say so far, so good.  We're only a week in, so we'll see how well the pony does as her workload increases, and how well the child maintains this level of responsibility. (Hint: This kind of fun ain't cheap, and she's been advised that any drop in commitment level means the pony goes back home.  It's never to early to learn there's no such thing as a free lunch, right?)

Stay tuned...