Jockey for a Day

This is Cricket. She is a QH/TB cross owned by a long-time friend and ridden by her Grand-daughter. Cricket was ridden in Pony Club and local shows just a couple of years ago. She is currenly eating gobs of grass at my parents' place in Pike Road and I talked to her owner last week to see if she needed to be exercised. She said "YES!" so the owner came over today and we pulled Cricket out of the pasture to take her for a spin.

Mind you, she is only like 15.2 hands...but may look a little taller than that due to my...uh...towering 4'11 self.

Her owner lunged her then rode her so I could see how she went before I climbed on. She did really well for not being ridden in a while.

I think I could have dropped my stirrups a hole or 2...this is the length I ride Scout and Tonto!

 I had forgotten what it was like to be on something other than a pony! She was TALL! I felt like I was doing the splits and my legs hardly reached her sides. Next time I'll lengthen the stirrups and ride in my smaller saddle. :)

It sure was fun being on a larger horse again!

She is quite smart - last weekend I was filling her water trough and it was extremely hot. She walked over and nudged the hose with her nose. When I didn't turn the hose on her, she took her nose and pulled it out of the trough towards her. Cricket wanted to be hosed right then and didn't want to wait. As I hosed her off, she stood with one leg in the air, then rotated around so I could hose her whole body. My oldest thought this was the funniest thing ever!

Cricket is a sweetie and definitely misses her young rider who has gone off to college. Maybe she'll be our weekend horse for a while. :)