Wednesday, December 23, 2015

A Horsey Christmas to You!

Hi Folks! Thanks for stopping by!

I want to apologize for being so lazy about posting new blog entries. I'm actually about half-way through writing my third critter book, and I'm saving all my recent stories for that. However, I'm feeling a little merry this holiday season and wanted to share a short story with you.

If you've read my second book, No Better Medicine, you'll know that I lease a horse named Bit. Bit's a stubborn fellow, and a flighty one, too, so I spend a lot of time doing ground work with him. Ground work consists of exercises and tasks that I ask him to do, or teach him, if he doesn't know, and I do this from the ground rather than in the saddle. These tasks help him feel more confident and less flighty. Since Bit's EPM has been acting up lately, I've spent more time on the ground that in the saddle, and I've used the time to take him for longer and longer walks off the property. I'm doing this so that when I do get in the saddle, he'll be more familiar with the places I direct him to go.

In any case, when I'm with Bit, I make up songs and sing them to him, for fun, and hopefully so that he'll pick up on my not-afraid-ness, and feel less afraid himself. During this holiday season, I've been singing him Christmas songs. One of Whoville's local radio stations started playing Christmas songs exclusively before Thanksgiving was even over, and they will continue to do so until the end of December. One of the songs I particularly like (because it's so blatantly greedy!) is called "Santa Baby." Eartha Kitt (for you oldsters) and Taylor Swift (for you young 'uns) have both recorded versions of it, so if you've never heard it (it consists of a woman listing all the expensive things she wants Santa to bring her), you can check it out on youtube.

Yesterday, while Bit and I were walking up the road, it occurred to me that there should be an equine version of "Santa Baby." I worked on that idea during our walk, although I could only manage one verse. If anyone comes up with a second, please feel free to write it in a comment at the end of this entry!

So without further ado, I give you the horse version of "Santa Baby." Feel free to sing it to your equine friends!

Santa Baby,
I'd really like a peppermint stick,
salt lick,
some crunchy apples will do!
Santa Baby,
so hurry to the stable tonight!

That's all for now, Folks! I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas/Hannuka/whatever it is you're celebrating, and don't forget to please be kind to all the critters!

See you in the new year!