Sable Morgan Horses

Grade 1 Sleigh ride, Feb 1999

Well another perfect sleigh ride for the grade 1's. The sun was
shinning, the horses perfect, everything ready to go, we had a great
time. Ok Ok so here is the real story.

Here I am all organized, the wood cut for the fire pit, straw bales hauled up
to surround the pit ,food ready to go, team harnessed up and ready to
go, video camera and still camera full and ready for all those candid shots,
just wait quietly for a few minutes for the kids to arrive.

Goody here come the kids, off the school bus and really
excited. I ask them "
how many have been here before?"

90% of the class put up their hands, Ok, so
great, you know the rules, I'll go get the team and we'll be dashing through
the snow.

I walk over to Boogie and Velvet, drive them in place, look down and
nothing to hook them up too!!! What did someone steal my double trees???

No no, silly me, I had borrowed an extra set last year and gave them
back, now why didn't I notice I hadn't taken them off the wagon????

Ok, drive the team back to the hitching post, call out "hang in there 10
minutes" jump in the truck to drive in the field and take them off the
wagon. No good the bolt is rusted, ok lets use the wagon instead.
Drive back in the yard for a chain to pull it in.

"Be back in a second, don't go away" Drive back to the field, the truck
stalls halfway over to the wagon!!! Great, now what?!?!, Oh good a couple
of blue words makes it go again (works every time). Jump out, put the
chain on, what no pin???? Oh just tie the darn thing with twine!!! No
twine?? we always have twine in the truck, oh ok just use the bolt
somehow.

Jump in the truck step on the gas and along comes the pole and
doubletrees...no wagon!!!! Geeze the wagon pin broke right off!!! Man
now what, ok ok the blue words are not working, well anyway solved the
problem of the rusted bolt, now we can just use the double trees on the
sleigh, since they are no longer attached to the pole!!

Oh happy day we can still work this out. Throw them in the truck and head back to the
yard. No no dear don't drive over that snowdrift!! Oh good we made it
through with only a small wave of snow blowing out from under the tires!

Get back in the yard and leap out and try to take the pin out of the
pole attached to the sleigh, great it won't move!! Lift up the pole and
look under it, oh right I tried to take the pin out last fall with a
nail and got the nail stuck :(( Sorry dear, yes, yes I'll run in the barn
and get the hammer.

Pound out the nail, get the pin out drop the eveners on, yes Finally we
can get the team. Trot back to the horses, bring them around, hitch
them up like I always do (dropping three chain links) Walk on guys, lets
test this out, bang the pole falls to the ground. WHOA!! Ok Ok the
tugs are too loose with these eveners, I forgot this pole is shorter than
the wagon pole, "no no dear, I can just take up some more chain links, no
need to quit yet, give me another chance, think of all those little kiddies
standing over there waiting for a sleigh ride??".

Back up the team take up 3 more chain links. Ok get outa the way lets
do it again, PERFECT! Ok kids load up the first group, fun times are
here again!!

After that it was fine, the kids had fun, the hotdog's were great, the
hot chocolate was fine... "Did you get any video dear???" " Oh sorry I
asked,, sure glad you did get a couple of regular shots, yes yes of
course your fingers were cold from changing the stuff around. no no
don't worry about the video, we'll do it the next time, What? no next
time, ok well talk later, dear."

So no video but I did get the photos developed
the old fashioned way and all I could see was smiles! (well hubby
was taking the pics so we don't have to worry about any frowns)

Richard is really a good sport about the whole thing and he has said
there will be a next time, just told me to make sure everything was
where it was supposed to be BEFORE anyone comes over.

"Breeding for Quality Black Morgan Horses"