Well here you see the love of my life trying to give me a heart attack.  As I was watching the kiddos, Father decided that he was going to spend his two weeks off over Christmas saddle breaking two of our very large Belgian draft horses, Maggie and Hannah. 

I never doubted that he could do it and yet every time he enters into these adventures, I find that my heart skips a beat or two.  It starts with hours of grooming, and then bridle and saddle application, long line driving and then the inevitable first time up on their back.  Bear in mind that the feat on horses this large is not a simple "leg up" and over you go.  In fact you have to train the horse to stand very still so that you can mount the "draftie" from the portable steps made of iron.  Once upon their back you are well and truly committed...that is unless you get bucked off, in which case you go back to square one and start again.  So here you see the "first ride" on Maggie.  She was wonderful and let Father live to see another day.  So what seemed to be going smoothly one day, turned into a near fatal disaster the next.  For the horse that is.  Doug was working with Hannah and had put her in the standing stall to have a snack of hay while he took Maggie out for her turn at a bit of a lesson.  Just by chance the sound of a muffled thump made him curious enough to go back into the barn to see what was happening, leaving Maggie tacked up but safe in the round pen.  To his dismay he found that Hannah had somehow gotten herself "cast" up in her stall and was nearly upside down and trapped in a spot that she could not get out of.  Thank goodness the emergency bolt cutters were hanging in the barn so that the tie chain was quickly cut and then he had to use the "come along" wench to pull her inch by inch out of the stall.  Hannah was nearly done in by the time this effort successfully freed her up, allowing her to spring up on her feet.  Her life was spared for a second time, having had a similar event like this in the past.  So Father saved the day by saving the life of my favorite mare.  This did not come without cost to poor old Papa.  In his rush to get everything done he slipped in his western boots and landed flat on his back on the cement.  He is hurting pretty badly with a sore shoulder and a stomped on foot which is many shades of purple and red but the trauma of the event and the near loss of Hannah was also emotionally hard on him as well.  You have to love horses to "get it".  Why risk life and limb to "enjoy" this sport?  Why because it is worth it.  Even at our age, it is still worth it.  I am looking forward to the day that I can get a leg up and over, sitting astride my new riding mare.  Thanks to Fathers hard work it will soon be a reality.  As for Hannah...what in the Sam Hell were you trying to do?  You are one lucky horse that Father is as calm and quick witted as he is.  Your career as a riding horse nearly ended before it even got started.  But for Doug having the good sense to take the time to go investigate what the thump sound was, the day would have ended on a tragic note.  Instead we all went New Year's eve skating, the kids none the wiser to the day's events and Daddy putting on a brave face while he honoured his promise to take them skating.  What a Dad...the best, and a wonderful horseman to boot.