Between COVID and moving from an area with an active driving group back to North Idaho to help care for my mom, the ponies and I haven’t gotten out much in the last three years.
That means I was in full on St Nick mode making a list and checking it twice for a 4-day combined driving clinic last week. Unlike me, the pony doesn’t travel light: hay (extra hay), pony pellets (in individual, Pony Club -approved, labeled paper bags plus extras), sweat sheet, fly mask, boots, bell boots, extra boots, helmet for me and navigator, extra helmets, armbands, extra arm bands, buckets, leather traveling halter and beta under halter, extra leather and beta halters, extra buckets, grain tub, haynet, salt, marathon vest, navigator’s vest, mane comb, tail brush, Coggins and CVI, map of facility, schedule of lessons, stall guard, harness, extra bits, extra harness pieces, first aid kit, braiding supplies, grooming kit with hard and soft brushes, rubber whatsit, cactus cloth, soft stable cloth, face brushes, and sweat scraper; two ear nets in colors that complement the pony, carriage, carriage ramps, spares kit…really, all the things. All the things, neatly squeezed into two very heavy rolly totes.
After checking off boxes on the list for the fourth time, I was really only worried about hitting rush hour traffic and the possibility of Mr O’Pony noodling around like a squirrel on meth because we’re out of the habit of going new places and meeting new friends.
As it happens, not only was there noodling, but there was also NO HOOF PICK. In all the list making, and all the box checking, I forget the damn hoof pick. On the last day, as I was packing up, having used the curved end of a mane comb all week, I realized I keep a hoof pick in the spares kit…
