The head human said I was having a bad mare day.

Bad mare day???? What does she know about it? Just because I have hissy fits in the dry lot doesn't mean I'm having a bad mare day. Sometimes the other mares just look at me too much. Or get too close. Or one of the geldings starts asking dumb questions. I try to be patient, but they just keep looking, or standing, or asking and I can't take it any more and I have to vent or I'd explode. Let's see if the humans would like to clean up that mess. I don't think so.

Bad mare day??? I'm not having a bad mare day. Just because I tried to kick Chance doesn't mean it's a bad mare day. He deserved it, the gelding. Trotting around, smirking, and looking at me just like he owned the place. Mares are supposed to put geldings in their place.

Bad mare day?? This is nothing. Those humans better hope I don't ever really have a bad mare day.

Hi, it's me, Simon. I'm the quiet, but very handsome, gelding way back in the corner of the barn. I'm pretty far away from Pippi and Story's stalls, but even so, I can still hear them gossiping and yacking away all night long.

They finally fell asleep so I mustered up all my courage to sneak down there and borrow Pippi's computer. I had to do it, you see, because it's my human's birthday. I had to let her know I remembered.

Happy birthday, Mandy! Hope all your birthday wishes come true. I'll try to be braver and not spook so much when we're riding. I really don't like dumping you off, and it hasn't happened in quite awhile, so I'm hopeful it won't happen again.

Okay, I know Pippi always sings the birthday song, so here goes (and don't laugh because I've never sung before) "It's your birfday. We're gonna party like it's your birfday. Drink apple cider 'cause it's your birfday. We're gonna party like it's your birfday. And we don't really care 'cause it's your birfday!"

XXOO,

Simon

P.S. Jack says Happy Birthday, too!

I heard that it's a human holiday today – Thanksgiving. While you humans are off stuffing yourselves silly with food, I'll tell you what we horses are thankful for – that you're not here. You're giving us the day off from riding.

So, first we're just going to hang out in the pasture, maybe play Chase the Apaloosa or some other running game. Then once we're put back in our stalls and our head human, Kay, leaves for her holiday celebration, we're going to play cards. Texas Hold 'Em is Ebby's favorite because he's a good bluffer. And Bok is the best at Blackjack – he can count cards. Mistie makes fun of Story and I by saying that all we can play is Old Maid. We hope she gets sold soon. Filly! Youth is wasted on the young.

Happy Thanksgiving, humans. Watch your food intake. When you get back on us Friday, we'll be able to tell if you had that third helping of stuffing and the second piece of pumpkin pie.

I'm worried – Smoky is really sick. He's been down all day  and barely ate. His human took him to Dr. Dana's, so all of us horses are praying that she can make him feel better.

Let's all say a prayer for Smoky.

I went for a trail ride at Belezaire. Just me and my human, riding down in between the barns, then back and around the outside of the arena. I must say that going around the outside of the fence is quite fun. I was a little concerned at first, but I've really started trusting my human. She's come a long ways, and I think she might be able to protect me if something scary popped up. It makes me feel much more secure to think of her as the leader instead of me. I'm much better at following than leading.

Speaking of following, I hope Story's back at our lesson Tuesday night. Nothing makes me happier than being able to tuck in behind her rump and follow her around all night. She hasn't been there the past two weeks and I've missed her.

Want to see a horse dance? It's way cool. Story and I are practicing – you should see us piaffe.  Anyway, click on the link to see  the horse dance.

http://beboframe.com/FlashFrame.jsp?Size=S&FlashBoxId=3309347442