All the pretty horses

Mr. T is a horse man who's married to my mother's cousin.  He raises Paso Fino horses, a breed  prized for their smooth, natural, four beat, lateral ambling gait. Considered the smoothest ride in the horse world. Their home is a ranch just outside the city, which houses 20 + horses in stables, and five dogs. This is where you want to live if you have country in your blood. My grandfather did.  A city-boy turned country man.  He had Paso Fino horses too.  He loved and admire this breed's gait. For their tap tap, which resembles a dance. I recently visited the ranch for the first time. The horses are exuberantly beautiful.

The horses are ridden everyday.  According to Mr. T, most horses love to be ridden.  They like to be useful, but also learn to enjoy working and being ridden, as long as they are ridden well and frequently praised.  He's had horses that have given him a sullen look when they are about to be ridden. You teach them to love the work and the ride. And eventually they do. Some horses could be finicky eaters.  There's one mare that doesn't like alfafa at all.  (Note:  Alfalfa is highly nutritious forage for horses)  He's tried to mix it with other grass hays to no avail.  She leaves it whole without as much as touching it. Funny horse.

Would it be a horse ranch without a pretty energetic fox terrier?  Lilly is playful, but very laborious.  She might not interact with the horses, but she's engaged in their care.

I enjoyed visiting the ranch.  Maybe one day, I can actually ride a horse, and feel the country breeze in my face.  Do you like horses? Have you visited a horse ranch before?

Grandpa's old farm

Growing up, grandpa's old farm was the idyllic place to spend the day during weekends. Through our innocent eyes, the farm was a place full of mystery and animals. My grandfather's mare was our ride of choice, and we could feed the pigs in their piggy quarters. There were chickens, fowls, and occasionally a few wild rabbits roaming everywhere. Today the farm animals are gone, with the exception of the 30 something year old mare, who gave birth to a colt soon after my grandpa's passing, and a old mule.  The colt is of no particular breed, more like a mutt, because we don't know who the father is.  He's what you call a country horse, goes by the name of San Miguel, and is my mother's fancy.  There are also four female dogs, formerly homeless and now living happily in the farm. 

My grandfather passed away three years ago. The lives of these animals are deeply anchored with the still beating heart of this farm. The farm may not be what it was once. But the animals give it life, and as long as they are here, the farm will too.

Little by little I'm learning to take pictures. It's not easy, even with a good camera. Sometimes, the picture you see in your head is not possible through the lens. I'm learning to appreciate the background, and see the possibilities. Photography is a school of self-discovery.