Deuce here. Mom got really busy and seems to be forgetting to tell you about me and my buddies, so I'm gonna step up and get the job done (like I always do).
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| The kid is a weirdo |
It seems it's been almost a year since you heard from us. Well, a lot of stuff happened. Mom ended up sending that kid, Joker, to school. He was getting too big for his britches and mom needed some help teaching him things - some things were new to my mom, too. So off he went. He was gone all summer long. Which meant for us at home, it was nice and peaceful. But mom went to visit him all the time since he wasn't far away, and she showed me some photos of what Joker was learning. That trainer did alright with him. Kid is still a train wreck, though, even if mom and dad think he's a good colt. Mom said she's going to start showing him this year a little bit, and then send him back to the trainer maybe in the fall. I say send him now, he's nothing but a nuisance!
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| This is what mom says Joker was doing at school. |
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| But I know he was goofing off |
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| The kid doesn't learn! |
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| Really? This is what you do at school? |
Mom put us all on diets again for the summer. Old Chuck finally slimmed down. Yeah, that shocked everyone here, too. So we can't fall him Fat Chuck anymore. He still only goes for a short ride every now and then, so it's not like he's gonna be a possible Olympic threat, so don't get too excited.
Willie won't slim down but mom doesn't seem to mind too much. He gets more peanuts than I think a horse that isn't working should, but mom told me to be nice to my brother. I still think he's kind of a chump for how he sucks up to mom and dad but it gets him treats so maybe he's onto something.
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| Chuck thought he was big stuff at the trail challenge |
Mom and Dad went away for a long week during the summer, so we have a new farm sitter. She's ok. She seems like she knows what she's doing but I think she needs to listen to me when I say I need carrots. While she was watching us, old Chuck jumped the fence! Well, it wasn't the real fence, it was the temporary fence mom and dad put up to keep us in our pens with muzzles, but still, Chuck jumped it! He had gone to a trail challenge earlier in the summer so now he thinks he's a big show horse, I guess! Mom and Dad went away again in January, and we were all like hey Chuck, you gonna do your big jumper horse impression again?
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| If I had gone, I'd have wiped the floor with the competition |
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| Mom getting driving practice in with me |
And me, I had a quiet year. Mom told me I had to rest my leg. I didn't like it. We argued a lot about if I had to be in my stall, or if I would be quiet out in the pasture. Mom built me a pen in the yard so I could hang out with her while she did chores, and it was ok for a day, and then I let her know I didn't need a pen and broke it down. That got me in more trouble. Finally I was allowed to go for walks with my mom. She'd walk next to me and we'd walk laps around the pond together in the evenings. I like walking with my mom. She talks to me a lot and we make decisions together. She needs my advice. Then we got to go for some sort rides, just walking. We did a LOT of walking. Then mom decided she needed to practice what she was learning with Joker, so she got those long reins and put them on me and started walking behind me, and we walked all over the farm doing that, too. It took all year, but the vet finally said my leg was ok again and we could go back to work. Mom and the vet decided that I need to stop chasing cows and doing things that are quick turns and hard stops, so now it seems like we are training for something new to both me and mom. I'm all for it! I love new stuff! I told mom don't worry, I'm super smart so I'll figure it all out. And you wanna know what happened once the vet said I could start working hard again? It rained. All the time. I don't like rain, and I really hate working in mud. Mom says she isn't as crazy as she used to be and doesn't really like riding in the cold rain. I'd do it if she asked, but I'm kinda glad she thinks that way! But now it's spring and I think we can start getting back to work for real!
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| Back at work! |
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| My new saddle and pad. I look pretty awesome. |
Mom got me a new saddle, too! We wore out our old one and it couldn't be repaired. She bought me a new saddle pad with blue flames on it, too! This saddle is different than our old one, or my show saddle, and I think it's got something to do with our new job. We'll see.
I hope mom doesn't think we're gonna take Joker with us to shows, because I'm not sharing the limelight with anyone!
-D.
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| Mom helped with a project at NCSU gluing numbers on bees. She's weird. |
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| She said it's cute, I say mom is kinda creepy |
