Good morning friends, 

I'm sitting here writing this little gem as I'm covered in sweat, and feeling like I just ran a marathon. I'm covered in soaking wet horse hair, and my face is a flushed as a tomato. My whole body feels as I've just did a thousand jumping jacks, and I smell terrible. Welcome to the summer heat and humidity of Missouri. 

 I asked my dad last night if he would feed my horse for me this morning so I could catch up on a few things, and he gladly agreed. Now this could've been the biggest mistake. I arrived at the barn in the early morning hours, a cup of coffee in my hand, and was getting ready to catch my horse when I noticed all of the other horses running, and bucking like little young colts. I thought to myself "Hmm, everyone must be feeling good since it's a little cooler this morning" 

 As I noticed the other horses lapping around, and prancing in the pasture, I just kinda giggled and watched for a moment as I went to halter my horse. The moment I put that halter on my horse, and he also began to snort I giggled and knew he was feeling better, and liking his new home. I walked him over to tie him up, and began brushing and combing his wild mustang hair out, and he settled right down. Now this is the horse I know. We had quite the conversation until I threw that saddle pad over his back. That big black head came flying up, and he was instantly alert, and you could tell he might just take flight at any minute. Now this is the moment that you have to decide if you're going to be brave enough to saddle and climb on this fire breathing dragon. I took my chances. 

The other horses were still acting like they were in a zoo, or out on open range, and I couldn't figure out why. I climbed up on my supposedly "gentle" horse, and I knew when that ol' head came flying up he was feeling good, and I was about to ride a gazelle. We trotted around a bit, and I knew the cooler weather felt better, but at this point I'm riding a giraffe. His ol' head was high, and you could feel the spring in his step. At any moment I'm thinking he's gonna kick over the moon, and I'm gonna be a yard dart out here in the back pasture. So we trotted and loped a few extra circles. Yes, he definitely has received some TLC in the last few days he's been here, but surely just plain rolled oats wouldn't bring him up that fast.

 Remember, I asked my dad to feed? Yeah, well my dad also has thoroughbreds at the house right now, and those horses are on super high protein grain with supplements. Real life race fuel. They need to be in top condition for racing season, and they burn a lot of calories, so a higher protein is needed. However, our normal riding horses get a smaller mixture of rolled oats. As I finished my longer ride this morning, I thought I'd just check what grain my dad fed. I was right. He fed my ol' gentle horse racing fuel. No wonder I felt like I was riding a gazelle thru the pasture. The moral of this story is, never bring a horse to my house that needs some TLC from previous owners. He will have them jumping over the moon in no time, and your morning ride sessions will have you feeling like you've rode a gazelle from here to Mexico! ha! 

P.S. I guess on the plus side I found out that blue horse can long trot quite the distance. I thought he was a Honda, not a Ferrari, thanks Dad :)