Swimming with the Horses!

Into the pond we go!

 Our neighbor down the road has a lovely pond that is clean and free of obstacles.  It is the perfect place to go swimming with one's horse on a hot summer day, and we gained permission to play there recently.  Annie and I took Buddy and Peg to the pond for a swim on Saturday afternoon.  Momma drove over with us to take pictures and see the fun, and the dogs went with her.  We had a wonderful time. 

This was our first time to actually swim with the horses, although we have gone wading with them several times.  We rode bareback and with halters, and all four of us (Buddy, Peg, Annie, and I) got quite wet.  Bunny the Pit Bull, who loves to swim and wallow in the mud, thought it was fun that we finally joined her in the water.  She became extremely excited and jumped and splashed around in the shallows.


Peg has reached the deep water, and he is swimming.  Buddy is still walking.

  Peg loves to swim, and he is very good at it.  We spent lots of time in the pond.  Buddy thought it was fun, too, and he got a little overconfident.  He forgot that he had never been in deep water before, and he rushed Annie out into the swimming area.  Then....


Oh, no!

 When Buddy's feet could no longer touch, he lunged forward and slipped.  Annie flew onto his neck, grabbed it, and slid off sideways, pulling him off balance.  She ended up accidentally dunking his head under the water.


"I'm getting out of here!" says Buddy.  "I've got water in my ears!"

  Buddy decided that he was through with Annie riding him in the pond.  He swam out of there without waiting to see if she was okay, and she had to swim out alone.  Meanwhile, Peg was just a-swimmin'.  (I think he was laughing at Buddy.)


Try, try again

  Annie was able to convince Buddy that she didn't duck him on purpose, and they enjoyed the rest of the afternoon in the pond.


"Sorry, Buddy."