Perfect Friday Night...

Tall, handsome, dark-haired gentleman who likes
long walks in the woods, cuddling, and massages.

Okay, so I should probably be sharing an update an how my last couple lessons went.  Better yet, I should be uploading the videos my husband took from one of those lessons to YouTube.

Oh well, so much for doing what I should be doing.

You're not gonna judge, right?

Wanna know how to have a fabulous Friday night?  Ride your kids' horse.  Then give him a massage. Seriously, I kid you not.

Poor ol' James was feeling a bit stiff and creaky tonight and so was I, so I let Noah ride Sug and James and I just puttered about, with me letting him go long and low and playing around with some bendy work.  No muss, no fuss, just good, clean funsies.

When we were done Noah cleaned my tack so I could give James a massage. Holy crap, that horse told me so clearly where to put my hands and how much pressure to use it was as if he was speaking English!  I mean, any horse will tell you what feels good and what doesn't, but James took it a step further.  If I put my hands on an area where he wanted pressure, he'd lean into me and press himself into my hands at the angle he wanted and with the amount of pressure he wanted.  And when that area felt better, he'd shift himself and show me what he wanted until my hands found the next ouchie spot.  Have you ever been getting a massage from someone and instead of just telling the person, "Up to the right a bit and press harder" you find yourself squirming and wiggling and trying to direct them with  body language?  Well, that's what James was doing.

I swear, that horse is such a smart cookie!  When I massage Sug, she'll often turn her head to rest her muzzle on my arm and groom me, which I swear is her way of saying "Thank you."  She's also been known to present her rump to me if she wants a bit of a tushie-rub. Both horses tell me I'm doing something right by blinking, chewing, yawning or sighing, but James takes his communication up a notch. At one point he moved his neck until my hands hit the right spot, and then he rubbed his neck up and down and into my hands, almost like he was trying to scratch an itch.  When I worked on his triceps and deltoids he'd pick his front leg up, lean in to the pressure, and then extend the leg again when I'd finished the movement.  It was wild!  He was totally directing the show, and it was just such a cool level of communication.

He was clearly enjoying himself to the utmost, and his relief and relaxation were so visible I felt like I was Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny all rolled into one.

Noah and I celebrated a great night with the ponies by going to our favorite pizza joint after we left the barn. When we got home I grabbed a glass of wine, a book, and took a nice long bath.

Yep, pretty much the ideal Friday night. :)