The summer had inhaled, and held its breath too long

Pie was amazing on this morning's bareback ride. All the horses have been troupers through this miserably hot July. 

Last time I posted, Colleen from Bay State Brumby was visiting (and melting) on a horridly hot ride around our farm. We were scheduled to travel north the next week to meet her sweet Brumby, Lilly, and Bill and see our Sage in Vermont, but it wasn't to be. Brian, who never gets sick, was bit by some icky insect/spider/tick (?) and became ill for a week with a fever and body aches and general malaise. When a three inch red bullseye appeared on his leg (I have pictures but will spare you even though I texted them to Colleen and Sage - sorry guys!) we cancelled the trip and he started antibiotics. He is doing perfectly fine now, but our visit to Bear River and Bennington was not to be. Darn!

Our temperatures and humidity the last few weeks, like most of the country, have been the worst. I basically tried to keep the horses in the barn and comfortable when I wasn't at a tennis match. Maizie's tennis schedule was in full swing during this crazy heat wave, putting her out on the court in blistering sun and me courtside far away from my horses. Therefore, my mom kindly stayed behind to hose the boys in the pastures and scrub and refill water buckets that were periodically dumped by our imp Sovereign. 

Here our little swimmer is nibbling for a treat on a bareback halter ride. 

Maizie on the court on a 100 degree day. 

Her team won so we are all heading to Princeton again this year!

And in the kitchen before her first date!!!! 

Eeekkk! Oh, she is growing up too fast!

My friend, Barb, (above on Pie) traveled from Florida to visit us again this year. I met Barb at the Florida barn in 2011 and we've had fun trail rides together for two winters. Last May she came up to Pennsylvania to ride with me and this past weekend Barb rode both Pie and Sovereign. Saturday was icky hot so she rode Pie and I walked along on the ground because I didn't want to leave one horse back at the barn alone in the heat. On Sunday, though, we had some cooler temperatures so Pie stayed back and Barb rode Sovereign and I rode Foggy. We had a great time through the woods and fields. Barb has really come along as a rider, and Sovey tested her a few times. She passed with flying colors! Way to go Barb!

Barb stayed on the farm all weekend and regularly spoiled my boys with crunchy apples from the refrigerator crisper drawer. I've been lucky to find a grocery store who gives me apple seconds for my horses. Only in America would these beauties be called "seconds" - Foggy nickers and Sovey wiggles his nose like a bunny in anticipation. Big boy Pie nods approvingly as the juicy treats head his direction!