Like water off a horse’s back

That’s how the old saying goes, right? No? :-)

I’m REALLY lucky in that Moose’s barn is almost exactly halfway between home and work, and it’s about a two-minute drive off my usual route to work. In fact, I can see his stall (the back side though, so I can’t actually see him) from the road.

So over the past two weeks, I’ve made it a habit to stop by the barn in the morning on the way into work–if I just stop in to check on Moose, it’s about a ten-minute detour, but if I decide to go early so I can squeeze a ride in, it’s longer than that. (Don’t worry — I keep a change of clothes at the barn so I don’t have to go to work smelling like horse! As much as I love that smell, I know not everyone is as enamored as me.) :-)

Last Wednesday, I got up at the crack of dawn and got to the barn just as the morning sun was breaking through the fog, turning it and everything around it pink and gold. I brushed Moose and saddled him up, and off we went on an absolutely amazing run through a large open field.

After a nice long cooldown, I hosed him off and then took him into the arena for his favorite thing after a bath–a nice roll in the dirt. And then he went back into his stall with a flake of hay for breakfast, and I went off to work with a big smile on my face.

I can’t think of a better way to start the day.

Moose steaming in the early morning sun after his bath. Not bad for a cameraphone shot! :-)