Harvey and the petals: Part 2

So last Sunday, it poured rain -- two inches in about six hours. The horses stayed in, and Harv was beside himself, bellowing and pacing in his stall. Ri had the day off, so I thought I'd lunge Harv a little and let him work off his energy.

Heading into the indoor, we walked through the flowering trees and brushed into the branches of pink flowers. The rain on the metal roof was deafening, and Harv was pranced a little as we walked over toward the mounting block. I turned  to him to clip on the lunge line to his halter, and laughed out loud. There was my boy, damp, wide-eyed with alarm, and covered in pink petals.

He was adorable.

I hadn't lunged him in maybe as long as a year, and wanted to take it easy.  But with the noise from the rain, Harv was alert and light on his feet. Neck arched and all puffed up, he trotted smartly around the ring. Gimpy, sure, but not really that stiff, in good weight, and he had some float, or at least you saw a memory of floatiness, in his trot. He looked like  he was auditioning for Apassionata. It wasn't a big moment, but it's one I know I'll remember. He is such a special boy. How lucky I am to have Harv in my life.

 After I lunged him we walked around the ring together for a long time. With the noise on the roof I could tell him anything I wanted, only he would hear.