Good day for a walk and a play session, and warm enough to leave your coat hanging on the stall door

Tanja bought a home directly next to the barn, well, actually, the barn's property wraps around her home on 3 sides, so the view from those windows, is the (rather unattractive) home of her horse Mia, but how nice for her to be there! She gave me a tour today. I felt honored. It's a wonky duplex, she has two front doors, two street addresses, 2 kitchens, 5 bathrooms. German homes are often split into multi family homes and she recombined 2. She has 3 washing machines. How funny! Poor Tanja has to get rid of all the stuff, the lady died and the family just left most of the stuff. I feel her pain, I've had that happen twice in my life.

Her little son was doing homework on the floor, no desk there yet, and I asked him how he likes his new home. He likes it just fine. I said, "Really? Just so? Hey, is that a light saber? Can I play with it?" He showed me how it works. I said, "I used to have one of these as a remote control for my TV. It's great fun to aim it at the TV, it made a noise." Tanja said, "You watch too much Big Bang Theory!" (How did she know that?) I said, "That was way before the show!" I also had a Star Trek phaser remote but I didn't tell her that. We discussed whether BBT is better in German or English, we disagreed, but I know I'm right *lol*.

As I arrived at the barn Gabi had her piebald mare Antara saddled and was about to set off on a trail ride ponying the mare's piebald daughter Menina. These mares both hate Mag, and all other horses, with the fire of a thousand suns. Gabi asked if I'd join them, leading Mag, as she rode. Fine, we haven't done that in a while and it's always good for Mag to get out in a group. Honestly I thought how nice it would be if she'd give me time to saddle him and see if I could ride with her, but there was no time.

Oh how I'm sick of snow and ice. The entire time I was slipping around, choosing the least dangerous part of the trail, and Mag was bouncing happily behind me, so, so happy to be out again. His tail was up over his back and every so often he'd start prancing, but always staying behind me politely. I could see the shadow of his head on the ground in front of me, he was looking side to side, delighted at all the sights. Grabbing branches, sniffing poop, but never pulling on me. What a joy it is to lead an excited horse on a icy trail and not worry about him pulling the rope - ever. "The proud breed" indeed.

We came to a bridge and I asked Gabi if we could go across it for training, Mag's not good at bridges. She said, "I wouldn't, that bridge is covered in ice and your horse will slip and fall and get stuck and it will end badly." I said, "OK, you go first."

That was a joke. Again, no one gets my humor here. *sigh*

But we did go through a little creek and Mag snorted at it, put his nose in, and then stepped in just fine, whew.

Walking back up the hill to get back home was quite a workout, I was sweaty and huffing the whole way up, but I must be fitter than a month ago cuz this time I didn't  have to stop repeatedly. Today was 10C I think, it felt tropical. I did not even need a coat. I had only a longsleeve tshirt and a tshirt over it! Willy and I were both scraping frozen poop out of the receding snow and he said, "Look, the snow is going away, and I need no coat!" I dropped my tools and spread my arms, showing him how I was also dressed for Spring. I think it's so cute how he says the word snow wrong, the same mistake I made when I started learning German. Snow is pronounced "Schnay" in German, but since it's spelled with two Es, "Schnee" and that's how Willy says it. Which makes me wonder if he learned German with books.

Back at the barn Claudia was there and I asked if Mag and Argo could play in the arena and her daughter Lisa agreed, and including Lisa and her boyfriend, the 4 of us took the two horses up to the arena. Mag rolled numerous times immediately, Argo took his time to roll, and then Mag gnawed on Argo's body while Argo stood there squealing but not moving, loving it. Then Angela joined us in the audience section and Mag went, "OOH, audience" and he walked from person to person, saying hello. He skipped me, funnily, cuz he knows who I am. What a charming horse. Then Lisa and Claudia free lunged them. At one point Mag got pissed at Argo because Argo is always blocking him, keeping him behind. Mag dove into him angrily biting but Argo is so huge, he only tucked his butt a little. Argo's the wise old uncle who endures a lot of crap from whippersnappers. Mag easily submits to the uncle's "strange rules." : )

Mag got two carrots today, a special treat, and followed me around very gently touching me as I cleaned his snowy paddock. "Don't you dare dump that wheelbarrow Mag!" I wonder if he knows what that means by now. I gave him an under-blanket chest rub (it itches under there) and leaned my head on his neck, telling him how good he is, as Lisa put Argo out with the geldings. Mag watched Argo carefully.

In the tack locker room Marie asked me how I was, she was there when I fell last Saturday. I said it was a rough couple of days where I couldn't move my neck, but I'm fine now, just more cautious than normal while riding. She's so nice, I really hope she doesn't change when she becomes an adult. I've gotten nothing but real consideration from her since the day I met her.

All in all, another fine day at a barn where I feel welcome. 2 months down, 2 to go.