Happy 10 year anniversary to my mare Rayn!

I can't believe it's been 10 years since she came home—September 12th, 2012! So cool to see how her grey coat evolves over time!

I went out to Castle Rock, CO to see her after seeing this photo in Craiglist. Her coloring, dapples, and calmness spoke to me:

From the first time we laid eyes on each other, I knew she was the one—I like to think she knew too:

Our first ride together on September 8th, 2012 when I was trying her out—I posted this on Facebook:

"Rayn and me—our first ride. Her owner rides her western but she's not neck reined yet so she should make the switch to English easily. 3/4 Andalusian (1/8 Quarter horse, 1/8 Tennessee Walker), 5 years old, fairly green yet, but an old soul. We had major bonding going on :-) If she passes her vet check she's mine. if not, I'll be crying buckets. Think good thoughts."

After the woman showed me everything about her and I had ridden, I asked if I could just be with her in the round pen. She agreed and went back into the house. I wanted to see how she would act with clicker training. I offered her several treats which she gladly took. Then I clicked and gave her a treat a few times. She ate the treats and waited for more. I waited. She took a few steps away to look at something. I clicked and she whipped her head around and came right back for that treat. That's called "charging the clicker" and it's just a quick test to see if they understand that the click=treat. It was the fastest I'd ever seen an animal understand what the click would mean.

First day at her new home, a boarding facility near our home in Longmont, CO. 5 year old ManChild was enthralled. Rayn had been born to a woman with an 8 year old boy and has always loved kids:

I had a friend come out for a photoshoot:

Back when I had a lot of hair :-)

Rayn was miffed that I included the photo below! She said, "I look like a MULE!" But I said, "Look, all the other pics of you are PERFECT and this is probably the best pic I've ever had taken of me!" 😂 I was 42. Lord. Why do I look SO VERY much younger than I look now?

My brother meeting Rayn for the first time:

And then we moved to our Colorado ranch and started to coach together. From our first retreat:

ManChild and Rayn share their birth year. They were about 10 here:

2019:

I need some new photos of us together!

ODDS AND ENDS:

A little tiny gnome home! The opening is about 2 inches:

We have this big spider that likes to make a web under our front patio umbrella. Every night it does this and every morning it's gone:

MEMES OF THE WEEK:

Wait, you mean you shouldn't do this?

I always thought Willy Wonka was super creepy!

I just couldn't stop laughing about this one!:

•••

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