Saddle-up Saturday (on Sunday)

I guess after last weekend's bullriding extravaganza, I ran my batteries down and didn't realize it. I took these few pictures and one video and...no more juice! I was so sad because Jack stayed home for this lesson as we had workers coming to repair our roof. Grace did so well. Kacey let her clean Pal's feet for the first time (Kacey held Pal's feet up, but Grace got to use the hoof pick to actually clean) and she brought her to a trot for about ten minutes straight. After all of the balance exercises that you see here, it really is paying off. Grace posted (the up and down movement of lifting your heiney off the saddle in English riding - this is why Jack and I prefer Western Pleasure - you just sit kinda like a bump on a log) almost the entire lesson - her legs are sore today.
her little tongue is out to the side in the pic below - :)

I took the video below of the older girls having their lesson so that you can see what Gracie keeps telling me she wants to do - I keep telling her to "hold her horses" - she's not much on patience - we have no idea whay this is! :)

Today, we straightened and re-tied some of our oaks lining the driveway and cut the straggly tops, so that this Spring they can really bush up hopefully. We also spread an entire bag of ant poison (and need about two more bags!).

Jack's Mom has been in the hospital since Tuesday. She went in for a biopsy on one of her lungs where there has been a spot for about two months now. They tested it back then and determined it was non-cancerous, but when she went back a week ago, the spot had grown. Anyway, her lung collapsed during the biopsy. They kept her for observation purposes initially, but have been running additional tests now that they have "a captive audience". We are hopeful that she will be able to return home tomorrow or Tuesday. We went and visited her last night while Grace was at a "Parents Night Out" event at her preschool and she seemed to be in good spirits. Please keep her in your prayers.

Jack is off tomorrow so we will continue working around the house - I hope the weather is as pretty as it was today -