Six Years Old

Yesterday TC turned six! I can't believe I've almost known this horse half his life, and have done 99% of his training. It's been a journey with this horse, and I can't yet say that it's all been worth it, but it's certainly been interesting at the very least! Here's to many more years of him being a sound, happy, good boy. I know that's asking way, way too much.

The face of a horse who is THRILLED that it is his birthday
orrr one who is regretting every decision in his life that led him to
being owned by me.

Six years old! 

For his birthday, I decided to take a leaf out of Carly's book and torment him celebrate. Over my lunch break at work, I found myself at the store buying some things to stick on him. After the show (!!) on Sunday, I didn't want to do too much on Monday, so we played dress up and then went for a walk.

TC was absolutely NOT amused by me wanting to dress him up. I got him three things: a banner, a hat, and some wire tinsel-y thing. He hated every bit of it. I took the banner out and he plastered himself against one side of the cross ties. Then I tried to put it around his neck and he looked at me all wide-eyed like I'd pulled out a knife and was about to stab him. I finally got it draped around him and tied up, but then the wind picked up and it fluttered. TC hates fluttering things. So he stood stock still and stared at it with his ears back.

Next, the wire tinsel thing, which went on easily. I think after the banner, he was a bit more trusting. Until the hat. It's been over two years of getting TC to stop thinking that I'm going to pierce his ears whenever I get near them and only in the last few months has he let me clip his bridle path without too much difficulty. He was NOT having the hat at first, but then I managed to wrench it onto him and take some pictures.

Reluctantly smiling for me

He hated this too, which is why I did it

I pulled the hat off for our hand walk, but kept the other stuff on. At first he was upset because he didn't really understand that he was the one that all the horses were snorting at, but once as we were out on our own, he relaxed and happily walked alongside me. I think we both deserved a break after the weekend, and it was fun to just spend time with my horse.

I gave him his grain with the number six on it in cookies, seriously contemplating giving it to him upside down and seeing if that made him magically nine years old. But I think year six is going to be a good one. We're off to a good start with three off property trips to three different places, with more on the horizon, he's finally not scaring me anymore, and he's been amazing at home. So naturally I'm very skeptical that something bad is going to happen soon. But for now, I'm really enjoying this horse.

I have the worst mom - TC

If I buck you off tomorrow, this is why