20 Things

I haven't done a post like this in a while, thought it would be fun.

1. His Eye

2. How he very carefully takes my shirt into his mouth without ever touching skin and just holds it, kind of feels like holding hands.
3. How he wiggles his nose and waggles his head when I find a real itchy spot when grooming him.
4. How when we approach an obstacle and he hesitates and I say "good boy" he moves forward.
5. His interest in everything around him.
6. How he looks for and follows J on her bike when we are riding together.
7. His growing trust that he is safe with me.
8. How protective he behaves toward me.
9. How he will whinny when he hears my voice, even if I'm not in the barn.
10. How he whinnies when I walk out of the tack room to groom him, like he missed me terribly when I was only gone for 30 seconds.
11. How he whinnies when he hears N's voice.
12. How he and Cali nicker sweetly to each other when they see each other after an absence.
13. How much more relaxed and happy he is when we are riding with N and Cali.
14. How he walks without hesitation into the lake.
15. How he is figuring out the gate thing and becoming an active partner with me on that obstacle.
16. The pawing and splashing in the lake. Makes me smile.
17. How he carries his tail flagged when we ride together.
18. The fact that he is willing to jump over ditches and low logs and even a crossrail. Tells me his back has gotten so much stronger.
19. His eagerness going out and his unflagging energy.
20. How he listens to my requests to go slow, even when Cali is cantering away from him.

I can't begin to tell you how incredible this horse is. He might not ever show, and that's just fine by me. We may never do a competitive trail ride, and that's okay too. We will ride for hours and hours, with J and N and T, and I will never tire of that.