Ellie has come to the farm quite often...she's sat on horses, walked with mommy, mucked out stalls...chased cats!

But yesterday was a whole new thing!

Yesterday we went to the farm with Ellie's first official ride on the agenda.  I went ahead of Brett and Ellie and cleaned out the stall, brought in my Fox, and saddled him up. Brett let her finish watching Dora and tried to get her into her riding pants, but to no avail.  She did however show up at Fairway with her helmet securely fastened and a giant smile on her face! 

She couldn't wait to ride!

We bridled the big red fox, and walked up the icy hill to the indoor riding arena.  I held Fox, and the camera, as daddy lifted her aboard.  She just smiled!  Quickly she leaned over to get her Princess boots into her stirrups and grabbed the reins yelling giddy up!  Fox, of course...did.  

Actually, Fox had an extra spring in his step!  He seemed so very happy to be ridden, even if it was on a lead line and only walking.  Brett was concerned at how much we had to keep pulling on him to get him to slow down.  It did seem a little out of character, but you could tell it was happiness in the 28 year old gelding.

Ellie chatted up a storm as we rounded the arena, calling out Foxer-ooni over and over, then telling me she wanted to jump like the big girls.  We set out a ground pole and walked over it.  To her satisfaction, that was jumping.  Brett and I both telling her each time, eyes up and to look between his ears.  She did...with a huge grin.  As we stepped over the pole, a red and white double vertical sat in front of us, "let's do the red one mommy," she said.  I explained that she wasn't quite ready for that jump, and that Fox would probably not make it over it at that speed. 

As Brett walked her (and I snapped three hundred pictures) he said to her, "let's move away from the wall a little."  She added, "so I don't hit it like mommy did."  Then she mentioned several times falling off and getting stepped on...whoops

Finally, the best part was when she said his name yet again, and called him a donkey.  I corrected her that he was a Quarter Horse and his name was Features Fox.  She repeated that several times and then said, "I'm Features Ellen!"   What a great combination of my two favorite things!

Altogether Ellen had a lot of fun and would have ridden all night if we had let her.  She had natural rhythm with his movement and asked to come back soon.  Brett and I decided that we will make it a once a week event, like a mini riding lesson.  Now that I know she will stay on for more the three steps, I'll have to clean up her tiny saddle, and definitely shorten the stirrups so she can better reach them, and alas...bring ole Foxer's bridles and equipment out of storage...for the Fox has returned!!

I love it!!