Riding or reading—both wonderful on sunny afternoon

Yesterday my friend Terry invited my daughter Olivia to accompany her on a trail ride.  She wanted her to ride her husband's horse, Henry's Last Shadow, a spotted saddle horse. Joe has been a little "under the weather" lately, and Henry hadn't been ridden since spring.  Since I am a rider too, I thought, "Well what about me?  Am I chopped liver?"  She probably didn't want to hear me complain the next day about being sore, my back hurting, and more aching body parts.

Terry, Snowball, Olivia, Henry

She said since Henry hadn't been ridden in months, he might be a little frisky, and she thought Olivia could handle him.  I must be getting old.   Terry was riding her spotted saddle horse/Tennessee walking horse cross, Snowball.

Snowball waiting for the ride

So they brushed and saddled and off they went, leaving me at the house. That turned out to be a pretty good deal. The Pegrams live in an old farmhouse, built around 1880, located several miles outside of Sardis.  They bought the old Sanford Place in 1974 and have made several improvements while honoring the home's original look.  The house had been owned by the same family from the time it was built until the Pegrams purchased it.

Dining room fireplace

While Olivia and Terry rode, I sat in the sunny kitchen sitting room with Belle, Terry's therapy Collie. She and Terry visit schools and medical rehabilitation facilities—letting Belle work her healing Collie magic.  Kids pet her, tell her to sit and sometimes even get to brush her teeth. She makes seniors smile and helps them with balance as they walk her down the halls.

Belle

On the back porch were other Collies, Hattie—a conformation show dog, and Tanner—a recent national Collie champion who specializes in herding and obedience.  Sheltie Blue is making his comeback in the obedience show ring.

But that's not all. There are four cats, the alpha being Kittyman, who sat with me while I read.  What could have been better—riding through the beautiful fall woods on a perfect day or sitting in this wonderful home, reading a good book and the latest Cowboys and Indians magazine, surrounded by great animals?  It's a toss-up.

Kittyman