I came home from the barn yesterday playing a new game:  What's That Rash?

I can't be the only one who has played this!  You know, you're covered in dirt and sweat and horsehair.  Your hands have been everywhere and you've gone adventurous places (okay, a little trail ride after some ring work).  You're finally in your air-conditioned car and absentmindedly scritching an itch.  At some point, your tactile sensors respond that shit feels funny.  You look down and, if you're me or another tattooed person, you wonder if your ink is doing that weird raised thing, where all the lines can be felt.

Oh, no.  Nothing that simple.

Instead, the elbow pit looks like you've hugged poisoned something.  I should have taken a photo, but I was keen to be a responsible driver and also didn't want to touch it.  Since then, it's gone down a lot, but also isn't worth a photo.  Whee, calamine lotion!

Tried to capture his hoof prints on the left side.

So, let's back up.

Archie got his shoe reattached on Thursday.  I opted not to ride and will post about my adventures that day pretty soon!

Friday, I set up some trot poles and we worked on that a million times.  Really.  Felt like a million times.  I've found some trot pole exercises online and hope to incorporate them, but the BM's kid has to take down her jump course first.  After we'd been through it a few times, there were about four of us mounted.  BM's kid asked if we wanted to go on a trail ride, which, yes, absolutely.  It was just a happy little walk in the woods, complete with an owl sighting.

Pony does not like to bring up the rear.

Saturday started with the funeral for my coworker.  This was a cultural experience.  Religion is an assumption here and it was very, very religious.  D didn't grow up in the church (lucky bastard), so he had no references for this experience.  I was raised southern Baptist and occasionally attended my grandmother's evangelical church.  This was more of the evangelical sort of service.  Anyways, it felt less like "remember this funny, charming guy who lost his battle" and more "GET SAVED!!!!!"  Good, though.  Closure.

The rest of that rainy day was spent working on a couple sewing projects.  I don't have tutorials for them, really, because I just... went with it.  Measure nothing, break a needle, what's the tension supposed to be again?

I had to make something with these owls!

And this is why you measure.

Sunday, we were supposed to go swimming.  We love swimming.  But with the mysterious something-ate-my-flesh after riding, I opted out.  Gym.  Photos.  Dinner.  Shopping.  Home for a nap and True Blood.