Sunday, March 6, 2016

Pistol Rocks It

This weekend, Windows to My Soul (the equine therapy group Brett and Pistol volunteer for) hosted a three-day training for therapists involved with this type of therapy.  People came from all over the country to attend.  Two of the three days are seminars and "book-learning" but Saturday was hands-on application.  Brett was asked to bring Pistol since she is the therapy horse for Windows to My Soul.  Of course he said yes.

Then the weather forecasts started coming in with predictions of heavy rain.  WTMS does not have a covered arena so they moved the venue to a barn in Placerville that does.  We had been to the barn when we first moved here and were looking for a dressage trainer.  It sits at the top of a hill, accessible by a narrow rutted road and then a steep, dirt road full of gullies.  At the top, there is no room to turn around a trailer larger than a two-horse.  

Brett talked to the director of the program who talked to the barn owner who arranged for Brett to park across the road, at the bottom of the hill.  Despite his misgivings about the pouring rain, Brett loaded Pistol into the trailer and drove off at noon on Saturday.  At five o'clock he sent me a text that he was on his way home -- and freezing.  

He told me that he walked Pistol up the hill, in the rain, and into the covered arena.  The sound of the rain on the roof was deafening but Pistol was unconcerned.  The instructor took Pistol's lead rope and demonstrated the exercise.  Then the class divided into groups, one of which took Pistol.  They took turns with one person leading her while another rode bareback.  Brett said he just watched from the sidelines.  Pistol walked and walked and walked -- and looked over at Brett periodically with a quizzical look in her eye.  

When they got home I had the chores done and hay waiting in Pistol's stall.  The rain came down in torrents last night, waking us up with its rattling wind and train rushing gusts.  This morning there was almost 2 1/2 inches in the rain guage.  

(Picture by Buffy)

3 comments:

  1. Way to go Pistol! I love the picture of her and the header shot of Tex is terrific.

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  2. What a sweet mare - she seems very much like Missy - just a solid, reliable, horse citizen.

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  3. She has the most sweetest adorable face, and it sounds like the personality to match.

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