You've Come A Long Way Baby [Boy]!

Mikey on Echo, at 2-ish (Spokane).

As mentioned in my last exasperated post, grandson Mike [no longer "Mikey"--he's 6 foot 3 these days!] is here for his annual visit to Grandma Laurie's Farm.

Mikey on Misty at 8 1/2 (that's Maddie in tow).

With Kate's unscheduled time off, we've gotten a lot of work done this week, to be chronicled in a later post.

But we finally decided Kate was sufficiently recovered for us to go out for a little ride.

Almost normal nose (Maddie stepped up to show what "normal" looks like).

Still a few tender cracks--sort of like really chapped lips.

Don't know if the little scar under her eye will eventually return to black.

Mama Misty is responding really well to her new medication for her mild navicular syndrome--She moved out really well (almost to well, until Mike asserted himself) and I only saw one or two bobbles.  I had put the girls' Cavallo Simple Boots on her, but they were a little big--I found a slightly rubbed spot on one heel bulb.  We'll try the pastern wraps, or some vet wrap to protect it before we go out again.

Other than ponying Brenden around last month, Misty hasn't really done anything but raise babies in a loooong time.  But Mike learned all his basics on her, until she started gimping on the fronts three years ago.  So they were soon reacquainted.  I was really pleased that Mike's form was pretty good, though he only gets to ride the couple of weeks that he's here each year.

Warming up in the arena.

Then in the front pasture.

Headin' out.

Along the ditch road.

After a little bit of an argument about going between the "matching" waterfalls at our irrigation take-out point, Kate reluctantly led--for a bit.

Then Mike and Misty took over.  There is a pond behind those trees, and we will sometimes encounter ducks or other wildlife in this corner of the property.  Those are some of my baby aspens near the fence line.

One hundred feet further and we're back in the desert!

Through the south gate (more baby trees in the background).

Follow the leader over my telephone pole obstacle.

Oops! Snuck out the side.

"Keep her in the middle, Mike."

It took a couple of tries, and Mike's determination, to get Misty to walk down into the "pond" (no water right now).

Kate and I went up the steep side.

Mike's not fond of "big hills," so he and Misty came out of the pond via the more gradually sloped side.

And over a railroad tie.

You may have noticed that there are photos from two different perspectives.  Grandpa Al had snuck out of the house to document our journey.

Look, Ma.  No hands!

The watcher in the wood.

It was a great little "warm-up" ride.

We're going to try to get out with Pat Monday morning, before I return Mike to his home in Spokane on Tuesday.  In the meantime, he and I have one more project to complete, so I gotta go!