The "Origional" Pony Cousin's!

I have just finished reading my cousin's post over at "Middle of the Road" and I am inspired to write about the Pony cousin's. As the matriarch of (our age group) our cousin's, she has been nominated, voted for and elected to be our leader for life! I will...however, take full credit for infecting the Pony Cousin's with the horse bug they have all been bitten by...this time around. Several of them grew up with horse's and shared them with all of us cousin's who did not have a horse of our own. And even in their late 30's (yes...I am being kind) a few still had a favorite pasture pet or 2. Horses in our family were passed around quite a bit as they found a new purpose in life going from one family pasture to another.

Several years ago I invited the "Good Time Cousins'" (former name) to all come to the desert for our annul get together. We had been getting together for about 10 years or so...rotating the cousin host city. We have traveled as cousins to all three west coast states to be together. With a date picked for the "Good Time" cousin's to arrive in the desert...my sister's came down ahead of time with me to help get ready for the cousin's arrival. I had many activities scheduled for them... but near and dear to my heart was a trail ride/picnic. Most of the cousin's had not been on a horse for years even though they were terrific horsewomen and the rest...well they were never really attracted to horses...they just wanted to be with the ones who were.

In my pre plan I had scheduled a ride for my "sissy's" (childhood nicknames for each other). This was to get them more comfy with horse's so that they would be able to enjoy the big cousin ride. My stables in the desert has rental horse's and great "cowboy" guides and I had a ride with "cowboy Bruce" scheduled for the sissy's! They enjoyed their ride... even with some angst. The cousin's finally arrive and we begin our fun. Shopping, the farmer's market, bfast out, lunch out, dinner out, and then the BIG RIDE! I had emailed them all ahead... asking them to not embarrass me by NOT wearing "cowgirl attire". Boy oh Boy...did they Cowgirl the Fuck up or what! ( oops...25cents to the cuss jar!) All had boots...some brought hats...all had dressed the part that I had hoped for...it helps make the ride... ya know! There had been many (too many) emails about what kind if mount each of them wanted! They all wanted a "nice" horse! Hee Hee! They were so naive! One wanted to know if there would be a mounting block...I told her the cowboys would happy to mount her! One wanted too ride the stable owner's roping horse that had thus far broken a bone on every cowboy that had ridden him! Finally we are all mounted up for our ride. We had a wonderful ride with cowboy Bruce and Jesse and the Desert Rose rode drag (not... drag queen)! Unknown to the cousin's... "cowgirl courage" is also a big part of the ride along with the "cowgirl outfit". They were all instructed to freeze 1/2 bottle ( water bottle) of Margarita mix and in the morning before the ride to add the POISON of their choice! Well...no one objected! I had my BOYTOY make up 10 individual bags of Horse D orves that would be eaten at the picnic grounds. There was only one "incident". I had asked cowboy Bruce to remind all the cousin's to look out for the "Palm Trees", and how to instruct your horse not to hit your knee with one. Apparently one cousin wasn't listening, or...had her "cowgirl courage before she should have!

WHAM...there goes another palm tree in the knee! This cousin had a war wound she could talk about for weeks!

Well...the next thing I know... they are have all gone home...but this one is taking riding lessons and that one has leased a horse... one buys a horse, on and on it goes. "The Good time Cousin's" evolved to the PONY COUSIN"S ! My "sissy's" loved their rides sooooooo much that...they helped me clean house after the cousin's left and BEGGED for another ride! Of course...I took them on another ride...this is what I do...infect ANYONE who might be brave enough to mount up! The spread of the PONY COUSIN'S to the next generation is another story...but well worth the wait!

The Desert Rose!