Cob Jockey

It's really a bummer that right when Mary's baby Annie (who turns two in November) started to enjoy riding horses I sent Connor to school! She went through a phase for a while in which horses were just too big, and she was a little intimidated specifically by riding, so we didn't press it and just let her hang out at the barn and feed treats, which she absolutely loves.

He is the absolute gentlest about taking treats from her tiny hands

But just in the past month she's started to REALLY like riding. The day these pictures were taken was the first time she had asked to ride in months. After this particular day, Mary said she fell asleep saying "Connor Pony. Auntie Jen. Bicycle helmet. Connor pony, treat," over and over. Mary has also caught her riding the couch arms like they were horses and talking to "Connor Pony".

Aeres is just a little too unpredictable for me to put a baby on her, so Connor's pony ride duties have since been temporarily taken over by my barnmate's 16hh+ geriatric retired Quarter Horse gelding.

Every week she learns new horse words. Last week I stood there grinning as Mary held her and pointed and said "Annie, this is the horse's stifle. Can you say stifle? Good girl, Annie! Annie can you point to the stifle?" And of course she did. She's going to have a better handle on horse anatomy than most adult amateurs by the time she's in Kindergarten. She's also able to identify and call out the gaits: while Annie and I were sitting there watching Mary trot Aeres last weekend, she pointed and said "Mama, trot trot pony!"

I think we will look back on this little smile as the moment Annie officially became a horse nut, God help her dad, lol.

Wearing the Dapplebay Dog and Pony Club onesie I got her and poking my horse in the nose with the blue glitter star crop her mom got me as a joke in college, which I then dutifully used in every riding class I took. We have SO come full circle.

Hilariously, last Sunday as I was just finishing tacking Aeres up and about to take her into the indoor, Annie pointed and said "Auntie Jen, helmet!" I had forgotten my helmet and the BABY reminded me! Are we raising this kid right or what? Barn kids are the best kids!