There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man. -Winston Churchill

My good friend Annie Reese (mother of Cora and Liam) invited us to join them for riding lessons at the Willows Edge Farm in Bothell.  The riding school has these beautiful warm maneless horses called Norwegian Fjords that are perfect for young riders.  Be forewarned...throughout this post are horse jokes that Naomi and Simone have been testing out on their friends.

Cora went first.  She took to it immediately.

A cowboy rode into town on Thursday,

Stayed 3 days and rode out on Thursday. 

How is this possible?
(Answer:  His horse's name was Thursday.)

Liam went next.  He'd done some riding before and he wanted more speed.  He was ready to trot.

Did you hear about the sad horse?  He told a tale of whoa! oh whoa!

Where do you take a sick horse?  To the horspital of course.

Simone loved it.

Girl: We have a mayor. Do you? 

Horse: Sure! 

Girl: What do you call it? 

Horse: Same as you do. Mare!

All the horse had the Willows Farm heart brand on their rumps.

One day, while I was petting a Shetland Pony at the zoo, a friend of mine asked, "How
are you today?"  I responded, "I'm feelin a little hoarse." 

Naomi's spiderman boots work fine. 

What does it mean if you find a horse shoe? Some poor horse is walking around in his socks.

Each lesson began with a few rounds of no hands.  Naomi talked the whole time she was riding. "Sweet horsey. You have a nice coat. I like it way up here. etc.."  She was a wee bit nervous and found her own way to handle it. 

But I've got a horse out in the country 

I get to see him every second Sunday 

He comes when I call him, 

Yeah,he knows his name 

One day I'll saddle up And the 

two of us will ride away"  

                                 -Cowboy Junkies