More Than I'd Hoped For!! (0:

I always wanted some one to L.O.V.E. my Fiona Pony the way that I do!!  Chad appreciates her antic's and knows that I love her.... But she is just a pest to him overall, I think.  Mindy likes her overall, but really wanted her to have more discipline and maturity (I think you'd call it).  She (I think) sees/saw her as my baby that needs a job...

But after a few months together (like 6) I get the feeling that Mike L.O.V.E.S. her too!!  I'm totally on cloud Mike has such good things to say about her!  So I'm sharing our e-mails!!  Hope I don't bore anyone to tears!!  I'm just so excited!!

Hey, Nikki! 

Getting some good rides in. Weather has hindered a little and work, but your horse is pretty nice. Got some gathering to do soon. That'll be good for her. Arena work is going well. Getting ready for canter from a stand still and speed transitions. Put her in a curb, Kimberwick, bit. Very mild! She is very soft and light with it. It'll be good to go from snaffle to curb and back to keep her light. Hope you can ride her soon! I would like to keep her a couple more months, if possible. Not happy with inconsistent schedule. We always have good rides, but I would like to refine things as much as possible. She's is ready to go to work though. You'll look forward to saddling this horse, I sure do. The trails we go out on have bridges, water, gates, traffic, dogs, she is solid. Been taking the bridges at a trot, I think she would just lope over them, but there's no need for that. Fancy mover and covers ground big time! Anyway, thought you'd like an update. Don't worry if you can't get down here for a year or two, she'll be just fine here with me  !

When I sent Fiona to Mike, I really just wanted her to like to be ridden.  She left here with a few patience issues (because I HAVE patience issues...I grossly lack them at times), an overall need for wet saddle blankets, and softness in the bridle.  Now it sounds as though she has that and more!!  Whoop! Whoop!!

The next logical things for you to think are, well, when are you going down to ride that horse and are you going to let Mike keep her longer?

My response to Mike:

Oh, hell Mike... 

Honestly I feel like a kid who was finally going to get the sucker she wanted. It's with in her reach, and then suddenly it's in the dirt being stepped on by a heard of elephants... )0:
I'm pregnant. Unplanned, and yeah, I'm old enough to know where babies come from... BUT here we are anyways. I'm due the first of September....
Soooo, I'm trail riding my barrel horse now, but I can't ride for hours. It kills my back and what not. So coming to ride with you may be out of the question. Mostly because I can't hit the trails for any REAL period of time, which damn near (I can't believe I'm saying this...) ruins the thought of even trying to ride.
I'm happy to leave her with you for a bit longer. The thought of her setting really is killing me. I have been dying to ride this mare and actually enjoy it for the last 6 years!! 
I need to get you some board money for.... June as my 6 months training was through May...and you had days to make up for weather.... Let me know how much more time you want,  Also in the extra time she needs to be just so (i.e. perfect!), let me know if I owe you for another month of training. As I told you all along I'd pay for more if she needed more.

Yep, my bomb shell.  Chad and I are expecting a baby that gets to live in the house full time!  LOL!!  I was hard to "admit" at first.  We never planned on kids, and I have finally gotten to a point where Fiona was broke and I could move on to the fun stuff with her and not worry about making it home...  Not that I really worried about getting piled every time I went out, but it crossed my mind a few times AND I know that it's not the safest thing in the world to head out for a few hours on a really green horse alone.  Although it didn't stop me... I knew it wasn't really smart!! 

I am frustrated that I didn't find a way to get down to Southern Idaho and ride my horse before now, but we had a lot of family activities in the beginning of the the year and now that it's calming down, I can't saddle up and ride like Mike and I used to in the old days... I'd be a cripple after a full day of riding!  I'm blaming the fact that I don't ride in the winter, so I'm out of riding shape, and now with the "rounding" of my belly, my muscles just can't compensate.  I know there are woman who ride everyday right up until their kid's born...but I have a hunch they were riding regularly before the got pregnant.

Mike's response...  I love the Oh, No... Followed by the Congrats!  He's too funny!!

OH NO!! That's Wonderful! Congratulations!
Well, she'll be just fine here. I really want to take advantage of having a nice horse to work with and do something. Show? Not sure what. But, she is nice to ride and will be ready for you when you can ride again. 
I'm not worried about board while they are in pasture. She really isn't costing anything, don't worry about it. 
Just wanted to keep you updated, so you don't think I'm trying to steal her. I've been toying with the idea of some dressage showing. As she is learning the movements anyway. Maybe, jumping? Which I think she is suited for. Really good on her feet!
But, I will probably go working cow. If this damn working all day will stop getting in the way! Wanted to ride last night, but by the time I wrapped up irrigating the wind was howling and was cold enough I couldn't talk myself into it. This week is supposed to be nice though!
Anyway, Great news about the addition to your herd! Sorry I won't get to have you ride her right away though. She is cool! I'll take care of her till your ready to get her, take your time. Especially when we start more cow work in the late summer, I will need to have an extra. Won't bother me at all.

I of course responded with keep her as long as she's useful and not a burden.  (I'm so over joyed that she is useful to Mike in his JOB...she's working!!)  And told him to show her in whatever venue he feels like, and that I would help pay for as much showing as I could afford to.  
Like my title says, (I think) Fiona may be turning out to be more than I'd hoped for!  Wahooo!  Happy, happy, happy!!  
As I'd stated way back when Fiona went to the first trainer, after her accident I just wanted to make sure  she was a good equine citizen and that if I couldn't keep her one day, she'd have enough manners and usefulness that someone else would be willing to.
I think we have reached that goal!
Yep, I'm all smiles about this!!  And by the time Mikes done with her, the baby should be "out" and I should be able to ride, even if it's only for a one day "real" ride!!