So, for the most part I am perfectly content not riding Gen. I could get on him to walk him around someday, but I know my horse and I don’t think the pay off I would get from riding him at the walk is worth the risk of either one of us getting injured. Every once in a while it gets to me that I can’t ride my own horse, but those times have come fewer and fewer the longer Gen is retired. Well, Monday night I got one of those pangs again. As you all know I have been sick. In the past week I didn’t even lay eyes on my pony 2 days because I was feeling so icky. And Since is a respiratory problem the doctor advised me to stay away from the barn and not groom my horse for several days (I already cracked on that last night…looking at a horse and playing with a horse a two very different things!). Well, I have been trying to follow doctors orders but the lack of quality time with my pony is clearly getting to me.
As I was drifting off to sleep I had a dream about my pony. I was riding Gen and he and I were jumping over rainbows, but they were short rainbows. It was not like we were flying through the sky, we were just jumping. It was so real. I could feel my horses clean stride and the wind in my face as we went running around and jumping. That made me miss riding Gennyral. That also made me realize that regardless of what the doctor thinks I need to get better I know that need to be spending more time with my pony. I know that I am about to make a really bizarre statement and that it will put me officially into “crazy horse lady” territory (mind you one of my medications has codine in it so that could have something to do with it), but as I was dreaming I got the weirdest feeling that I was really in Gen’s dream. Like this is what he was thinking about at the same time and I happened to wander in. I know, I am weird, and I don’t know why I thought that. Feel free to mock me about it if you like. All I do know is that even though it made me a bit sad to dream of riding my horse, it also made me really, really happy. How can you feel anything but hope when you jump rainbows on your dream horse?
And speaking of my wonderful dream horse…I have so many pictures to choose from!! So the wonderful photographer (Susan Kozlowski) is back in the states and has edited ALL the pictures from the photo shoot. Which has created a total problem for me…I was having a hard time picking a single 8×10 from the 8 samples she edited…looking through all 49 pictures is torture! I wish I was rich and could just get them all! There are some out of the 49 that I like more then some of the original 8. I can splurge a little (I did save a lot of money not going to the show last weekend) and get a few smaller prints, but I don’t think I can get more then a handful of photo’s total. And I still don’t know which one to choose for my 8×10.
And I hate to beg again but if you have a second to look at them all please do so here and let me know what you think. I am terrible at decisions!!! So if you look at the photos and see one that is 8×10 quality let me know! And if you see any that I must, must have let me know that as well. If only I could get them all!!! I just need to marry up or win the lottery right 
I looked at all of the photos – cool stuff!
In my opinion, these are the best for your 8×10 (in no order): 7, 9, 23, 31,32,34.
The 2 criteria are that you look good and the horse looks good. For a picture that will imortalize your horse, you want to be able to see the horse – especially the ears. I wouldn’t even consider any of the pictures without his ears.
Good luck choosing!
There are so many good photos I can’t even begin to decide or advise you!
I love your rainbow dream story – and I don’t think you’re crazy at all – it was lovely!
I don’t ride my old horse Noble anymore (he’s 29), but I still miss it since he was wonderful to ride.
I think doctors don’t understand that our being around and working with our horses is not something we can do without for long – it’s really necessary for our mental health. I think doctors think of it like skiing, or motorcycling or something – they just think of it as if it were only a sport – not a bond.
Well, you’re right there are just too many good ones to choose from. Why don’t you show them all to your mom and dad and see which ones they like, maybe they can help you pick. Or your trainers. Then you can whittle them down to a few. It’s tough when they cost so much you can only pick a few.
I loved your dream, and you’re not crazy. I’m sure some of us at one time or another have had dreams of our horses.
I really really liked the one with you walking him (the almost full body shot). I think it was number 2354. Of all the thumbnails, that was the one that caught my eye and made me click on it. I think the composition is the nicest and it spot of sky in the corner is great. I looks very natural. That my opinion FWIW!
Gosh, those ARE hard to pick from. I think my favorite is #7. From what I know of you and your bond with Gennyral, I think this is a fabulous picture of you both.
There are, however, a lot of really nice ones to pick from. If I were to eliminate any, I think I would only consider the ones that have full views Genny in them. Some of them have just part of his face and I think I would want one that shows his entire face and expression.
It IS a hard decision. You have a lot of nice pictures there to choose from
I like #7 for the big picture. I also like 11 and 34. Your modeling skills were much better than his that day! You look great in all of them.
2304 is really sweet and very expressive. 2426 is very funny, and shows how much fun you have, though you can’t ride him, but it doesn’t matter, because you guys just love each other! And either 2248 or 2283 as both of these just seem to pop out at me! They are all really lovely, and looking at them, they are all really well done!
And I love your dream, it sounded and I agree with Kate, as non-horsey people don’t understand why I enjoy getting muddy and mucking out, but my favourite smell is the stables, it just reminds me of the happiest times in my life!