He figured she'd gone back to Austin

I haven't written much about Austin, I really should have introduced him properly. Austin is a Walker, has a beautiful chestnut coat, the best mane and tail ever, and a very large nose :-) He's also got the best personality this side of the Mississippi.

Austin came up to Diamond Hill on a care lease for a couple months, he was to be my "confidence builder" because I was feeling low.

Austin is about the most laid back guy on the planet, Cindy used to joke and call him Austin Power Nap because he was forever sleepy faced.

Austin and I played an awful lot, Austin and I talked a lot, Austin and I hung out a lot. He was/is just that cool. Austin figured out pretty quickly that I not only believed he had an opinion I also wanted to hear it, and we talked more. I am aware that Austin doesn't speak English very well. I am pretty sure most of what I said to him sounded like a Charlie Brown cartoon, still, we talked. A lot of what we discussed happened over breakfast, he was most agreeable when his face was buried in warm beet pulp.

Austin took me on my very first, off the property, big girl trail ride(s). Austin didn't care if our time together in the arena was spent walking to the edge and looking at the tree tops, if we actually got into a trot that was fine but if we didn't, well that was fine too. He did protest now and again but he's so harmless that him kicking up his heels makes me chuckle still. We even ran around the arena together on foot, I am awfully glad no one was around when we were playing our "ohhh lets run this way, wait wait no lets walk, ok lets run again" little game, I'm all but positive they'd have thought I had lost my mind. He was never too interested in the ball but we tried that too. We really just had fun together. He was like a vacation from the serious horses I have here at home (Brody is a very serious guy and Katie well she is pretty darned serious most days too). When I saw Austin it was like greeting an old friend and I always knew that even if we didn't do much of anything I'd still love every second.

I love every second I have with my guys here at home too, it's just a different relationship.

I suppose that's part of the beauty, they are all different personalities and the relationships we have with them, they are all different as a result. At least for me that's what it is like. Every relationship is different; with Austin, he just plain old makes me smile and although I will still see him I am gonna miss our morning talks, kissing his big nose, our evenings, and everything in between! He's a great horse, I should say, great friend, and give the old guy his due :-)

Posted in: