I am well, yet Kleng was Ill.

All is well at Bent Barrow Farm today! I'm getting my mojo back, and have started initiating play with FarmWife when she comes out to visit with me in the afternoons. I used to do this often, and my hock injury put the kibosh on the business of trotting boldy about with arched neck and springing step. Now, I do it again, trotting playfully up to her and past with an ear-flicking invitation to dance. If FarmWife walks, I walk . . . if FarmWife backs, I back . . . if FarmWife sashays left and grapevines right, I sashay left and grapevine right . . . if FarmWife runs and skips, I buck and plunge and kick up my heels ten feet behind her. She tries to do rather little of the latter, in case my tendon injury is simply in cortisone-induced remission, but it makes her happy to know that I'm feeling my oats.

Elsewhere in our beautiful county, news is not so good. Kleng, personal friend of FarmWife, beloved Northwest Therapeutic Riding Center therapy horse, and 2009 North American Handicapped Riding Association Horse of the Year, suffered a life-threatening bout of colic late last week and was rushed to Pilchuck Veterinary Hospital for colic surgery. He is currently recuperating at Pilchuck and is expected to make a full recovery. Once well, we expect full mulishness from this most wonderful of pony-sized horses. Kleng was the first small mount of FarmWife's adult life; at 13.3, he took up her leg nicely when she volunteered as a NWTRC exercise rider in much the same fashion as I, at a shy 14.1, do now.

NWTRC is gratefully accepting donations towards his veterinary care via paypal (found at the above link).

Fenway