In which our nest is rarely empty for long : we have a new lil' chick

"This is the first year in more than a decade that we aren't bringing a kid to camp!"

Yes, the Dragon is helping me teach a few basic skills to a beginner.
Say with me now:  "Ohhhh.  Ahhh.  Ohhhhh."

My mom heard me lamenting at a recent graduation party.  For many years we've taken kids to camp with us to build trails before the Renegade Rendezvous ride.  First it was Maddy and Jill, and later Sirie, and then Will and Lisa.

Fiddle made sure that the kid learned this very important skill:  "FOOoooooOOOD!"

But now all those chicks are grown and flown...where could we find another kid to take to camp with us?

My mom pointed to my youngest niece:

Cassidy is 14 years old - the perfect age!

"Why don't you take that one?" she asked.

Dory demonstrates a skill, and then lets a student practice
on a patient school horse like G-man

Cassidy's mom squeaked a bit at the suggestion that Jim and I would take her youngest child into the untracked wilderness with a bunch of wild equines and possibly wild equestrians

Walking, turning, walking again

...but this morning they all showed up on the doorstep, ready to gain skills that will be useful in camp.

Trepidation? Mama and Granny in the background

Within a short time, Dory got Cassidy comfortable with some basic horse-girl skills.  Not just grooming,

Cleaning up a white horse.  Ha!  Glad I don't have to do it!

but also endurance-specific skills like taking a horse for a trot-out

Good form in the trot out!

and taking a pulse.

Assisted pulse-taking

Cass caught on quickly.  Then,

Pulsing solo

it was time to ride!

Carrying the saddle is the first major test of strength

 Saddle up...

hop aboard...

first on a longe line, and then solo

...and GO!

I'm sure that Becky still fondly remembers this exercise.

When we got home, we packed up the SS Illegible.  Tomorrow, we leave for camp!

The floofs want to be sure we pack plenty of floof-food.

But tonight

Puzzle the cat endorses this book:  Endurance 101, of course!

...there still time to learn a little more.

See y'all at the Renegade Rendezvous!!!!