Halawa Moon hits his teen years

Harley turned thirteen on Monday. Yes, the Jockey Club said he was thirteen as of January 1, but I always hold off until his actual birth date so I have a reason to give him extra carrots and apples.

Our farrier came on Saturday, and my almost-teen acted like a three year old. I thought I'd take some of the energy out of him by taking him for a walk/jog down the the road before Butch arrived. I think I only managed to get him keyed up. First, he wouldn't go down the road and stopped every five steps. With a lot of urging, I was able to get him down to the Orris Falls trail head. The minute we turned back for home, Mr. Prancypants danced his way home like he'd just heard the bugle playing "Call to the Post".

Butch attempted to trim his feet, but Harley was being such a bad boy, John saddled him up and took him for a ride while I held the saintly Ruffy.

By the time they came back, Harley had broken a good sweat. I think John rode the "prancypants" out of him. He still wasn't on his best behavior, but he was much better than before John rode him. Butch is the most patient farrier I've ever known, and we (the horses and us) are lucky to have him.

So while we wait for spring to finally come, and the snowbanks to melt, we'll begin the maple syrup season. We boiled down our first batch a few days ago--dark amber, almost Grade B, but how yummy!

Happy Birthday, Halawa Moon!

Harley celebrated his 9th birthday yesterday by tossing John--a little birthday buck! Poor John, hobbling on a sore knee, hiked back up to the barn to find Harley standing in the paddock, reins dragging in the mud, looking innocently at him as if to say, "What? It was scary down in the woods and then suddenly you were down in the dirt below me."
John got back on and took him for a nice long ride back through the woods on the lollipop loop trail. Harley worked his kinks out and broke a little sweat, allowing John to ride him home on the buckle. Now that's more like it, my bad boy!
As I was driving to work yesterday, I'd been thinking about what was the best way to have a long lead line safely attached to me should the same thing happen (which it has) so Harley doesn't get away from me and head for home. I must have jinxed John. But it might be a good idea for me to have a backup plan for when 'ole Harley is feelin' snarley and might pull that stunt again.
When I visited Harley after work, he was coated in mud on one side. How he loves to roll after a ride. He got a good currying, hair and mud flying off. I offered him a birthday treat of maple sugar which my Maryland-bred son declined to eat. It's carrots all the way for him--none of New England's finest spring treat!