I looked at a horse's butt, not like one.

So, as Uncle Michael mentioned, the grown up ladies and I went horseback riding on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend. Let me reintroduce you to our cast of characters.

Miss Kerri.* She'd never ridden a horse before.


Miss Amy.* Like me, she used to ride a lot- but it's been a while. Is calling ten years a while an understatement?


This is Miss Tammy, Amy's sister. She's ridden before.

So, Amy planned all of this for us. She'd been wanting to do it for awhile. I guess on Friday evening the ladies were discussing and planning other possible future activities like tattoos, sky diving, and pole dancing lessons. I don't know about all of that- but was happy to get in on the horseback riding.

Amy planned the riding trip for us. She called Elk Mountain Trails ** in Knoxville, MD and made the arrangements. We were a little surprised when we got there to learn Amy was afraid when she met her horse.

So very scared, in fact, she had to make a run to the ladies' room.


She was even looking kind of hesitant when she found out that was a dog and she'd be riding an actual horse. Can you see Tammy in the background? She's cool with it all. You can tell because she's giving the horse next to Amy bunny ears above the butt.


They even tricked Kerri into getting up on a horse before she could run away screaming.

It was a good thing she didn't run away. She fell in love with her horsey companion, Rusty. Although, judging by how far up his butt my horse, Max, was, I guess he's already in an exclusive relationship.


I tried to get some pictures while we were on the trails. I was going for Amy, but I got her equine escort, Rawhide. Yes, she did sing it for awhile.

Then I got the diagonal picture, which I thought was awesome when I took pictures when I was six years old.

Ah, much better. (It was taken after we had stopped. See how level it is?)


I'll even include a shot of me, although natural light's not doing me any favors here.

Amy was still a little giddy after the ride I think.


And then on the ride home, I got a picture of a coal car. Know why? Because after four kids, I saw a train car full of coal and was all Thomas! It's going to the Isle of Sodor to see Mr. Conductor. But, the trains on tv are a lot prettier. So, maybe- just maybe- not everything I see on TV is true. I'm not prepared for the implications with the Real Housewives of Wherever.



Maybe I'm in for tattoos and pole dancing.


* Everyone around here calls ladies in activities Miss First Name. Shea's teachers at Montessori are Miss so and so. I mocked this when I moved here five years ago. I argued it should be Ms. Last Name. I now comply with this very odd social norm.

**We were not compensated at all for this post. But if they want to kick me down some free rides, I will reiterate what an awesome time we all had and how great all the girls working the ride were. Oh, OK, I'll say all that without the free rides. We had a good time.