Changing Winds (Saturday, 30 June)

The previous night’s derecho blew in more than just a couple of tree branches…around 2:30 p.m. a white pick-up truck and horse trailer pulled up to my barn in Doswell, VA. I figured something was up since my dad, Fred, seemed a bit anxious all morning. Three ladies, who all smelled like Popeye’s chicken, came around the corner as Fred pulled me out of my stall to tack-up. I thought he had lost his mind; it was well over 100 degrees outside! Confused, I stood there quietly while the tall, pale-white lady looked at me with googly-eyes and the petite, peppy one grabbed at my tail and ears. I wondered if anything good would come of our little get-together.

Already dripping in sweat, we headed out to the grass arena and the third lady with the gentle smile got on my back. I thought, “OK, sweetheart, you really want a ride with Mr. Mojo today? It’s hot and I’m not use to this arena.” I’d been off for a week so I started to think I might as well go ahead and stretch my long legs while the gal on my back kept busy trying to find the breaks. Undeterred by my antics, my rider—who the others called Miss Jean—kept working with me even after I made a couple attempts to bolt for the barn. Satisfied and slightly winded, she finally hopped off and the tall gal jumped on for a ride. I could tell she was a little green herself and a bit nervous, but I was getting pretty tired so we settled into some nice little trot circles until she stopped short and practically collapsed off of me…to the ground…on her knees. “Great,” I thought, “another rider with princess tendencies.”

Parched and trite, our small gaggle headed back to the barn where Fred gave me a bath as Miss Jean talked to the now tomato-colored, tall gal. The petite lady—who I gathered was named Carol—spent a long time over at the truck fiddling with something. A little bit later, Ms. Tomato Face came into my stall with a feed bucket. She grinned, gave me a pat, and said I could call her “Mom.” I told her I’d call her whatever she wanted as long as she dumped the food out...I was starving. It wasn’t much longer after that I found myself loaded on a trailer headed for Aldie, VA. I calmly rode the whole way home to Miran Farm. It was around 7 p.m. when Miss Jean led me out of the trailer. I looked around and thought, “Hmph, I could definitely get use to this place.”

Me and Mom