Update on Farah~

I couldn't resist giving an update on Farah.  Yes, I hear from Renee often.  She had dropped her phone in the lake, so I sent out my little Cannon.  The same one that I've carried on the saddle for so many years.  Getting pictures by email is almost like a mini-visit to the farm.

June of 2013 - first time at the beach~

I am so thankful that Butch took the photos of us he did.  Every once in a while when I get lonely for her, I can go back & re-visit some of our rides.

Last week, Renee had company on the farm.  This sweet little girl enjoyed meeting Farah as much as I'm sure Farah enjoyed the attention of another little one :-)

Farah makes a new friend :-)

Farah wasn't really interested in kids when we first brought her home.  But eventually she matured & decided they really were fun, especially when they had treats!

6-11-2016 Farah & Granddaughter Skyla~

 At the beach, when the Grandkids came from Astoria to visit us, we were amazed to find Skyla & Farah enjoying a quiet moment together.  Skyla rode for the first time in several years & did just fine!

Sandy, Ody, Connie & Farah

We also had some interesting news about Farah's breeding.  Sandy had decided to send a DNA sample of Ody's mane (Farah's sire) - to the Texas A&M equine genetic lab.  (Ody had been abandoned as a foal with no papers.)  We'd always assumed NSH, bloodlines.  A farm where Count the Gold, stood at stud was in the vicinity.

The results surprised us.  Ody is, in the order of highest percentage first;  Fox Trotter, Mangalarga & Arab!  Farah's exotic look has been mentioned & now we know where it comes from.  Add that breeding to her Dam's excellent Appaloosa lines;  Dignitary on the top & Two Timin' Woman on the bottom.  (The Appaloosa registry allows crosses to both Quarter Horses & Thoroughbreds.)

I love seeing her out on grass in the sunshine.  No fly mask, no shoofly leggings & probably not even bug spray.  It's a beautiful time of year there & here too.

Enjoying pasture time~

I also love seeing her walk, with such a long, low & relaxed style.  Totally different from the first photos, where she looked very sad.  We both were...

Long, low & relaxed~

This will be the hardest time of year for me to be without her here.  This month & probably November are two of the best months for riding.  The only drawback is how short the days are getting.  We're both adjusting.

Dappled shade~

Busy, has become my middle name.  We've started the shed re-model, I've been working in the yard & have a to-do list a mile long. I may have to break down & join a gym to get in the amount of exercise I've been so used to while riding.  Of course the miles have gone from 1,500 - to 1,000 - to 400 last  year.  Zero - though - will be tough...  We'll see what the next chapter brings~