the bronto turns 10

Charlie is an old soul. He's always had a mature and stately manner - it's what drew me to him in the first place. Honestly I imagine he was born this way.... But today it's official: Charlie has entered the double digits. Happy Birthday, big boy!

For his birthday - spread out over the past week bc obviously brontosauri get to make the celebrations last - he's gotten all manner of fun tricks and treats. Like mare kisses. And more x-rated mare attentions, but I didn't take that picture haha, you can thank me later.

He also got a rider who is trying harder than ever to stop being.... weird with her hands. Latest harebrained idea is this ribbon looped through the d-rings.

It's generously long when held in each hand with the reins, but short enough to keep either hand from drifting off to never-never land. Tho, also, interestingly, just long enough for me to notice when there's too much slack and remember to shorten my reins. So far I feel like it's actually working for me!

Oooh, Charlie got a present from the grass sharks too, with this lovely little boo-boo and a matching one on his chest haha. Plus came in from the field that same day with some other poor creature's hair all snagged up in the hardware on Charlie's halter. Miiiiighty suspicious haha.

Tho perhaps Charlie thought *he* was giving *me* a present by going right on ahead and shedding out at least part of his yak legs for me?!

For his birthday, we also went out on a relaxing hack / trot sets ride. Well. The hack part was relaxing, the trot sets not so much. Charlie wishes they were canter sets, thankyouverymuch.

Ooooooh and I definitely almost fell off when we went to trot through the water and he slammed on the brakes to take a sip. Methinks I've gotten a little complacent about when is drinky time vs when is worky time....

Lol also on said hack, Charlie had the treat and privilege of unexpectedly running me into a bunch of low hanging vine-y branches while I was preoccupied with taking a selfie with all that glorious forsythia in the background to send to my mom...

So... Uh, yea. Picture not quite as cute as intended. You're welcome?

Ahem. Cough cough. Anyway lol.... Also for his birthday, Charlie got his first bath of the season!!!

I felt a little guilty bc the well water is still pretty frigid... But the air was a warm feeling 65* and I used hot sudsy water out of a bucket for the shampoo. So he only really had to tolerate getting rinsed by the cold hose. Tho I was nice and splashed him with another bucket of warm water immediately after just to avoid any chills.

Of course.... I didn't feel THAT guilty. Considering that wash stall hydrant in the bottom left of that pic was the very same that Charlie ripped out of the ground in his extreme angst at being contained to a paddock during the last round of nail-impalement recovery....

Lol.... Moving on. He also got his hair did <3

Gosh but I love his tail! I don't brush it out very often, but when I do it's always such a luxurious feeling!!! No pic but I banged another ~3" off it too, on top of the 7" I snipped in early winter. I swear he grows at least a foot of tail per year, it's nuts.

Also no picture but I totally butchered his mane too. Kinda more or less on purpose to be honest. I just don't have the patience/skill to properly pull a mane. But I'm always a little too timid with the rake / scissors / etc and end up leaving it longer than I want anyway, so that soon enough the mane is back to looking like shaggy crap.

So I really did it short this time. It's still shaggy crap haha, but at least it's short shaggy crap lol. Again, this horse grows a LOT of friggin hair omg. And it always grows back....

Anyway there are still a few more fun plans on the docket to celebrate Charlie's Big Day. Like.... Potentially to incorporate this little potted shrubbery that I looked at with new eyes driving down the lane after walking Morven's course haha.

And also another plan that will hopefully entail meeting up (*finally*) with another pony pal for Chuck. We shall see, more to come later, as always.

For now, tho, TGIF. Anyone else with big weekend plans?