The boys and Croc

On Tuesday the boys and I spent the day playing outside.  The weather was amazing except it was so windy at our house that we ended up playing in the shed and horse barn.  The kids and I were just happy to be outside!  The shed is basically our garage so we have several toys out there we can play with.  The kids were given a small trampoline for Christmas so they were happy to have the chance to jump on it, play on the slide, and enjoy some other random toys around.  After an hour or so I suggested we go visit the horses.  Joel was out the door, running across the yard and disappearing into the horse barn before Vince and I could even get out of the the shed!  Joel loves the horses!

Brad and Joel riding Croc

Joel very happy to be riding with Daddy

When Vince and I got to the barn Joel was picking out some strands of hay to feed to the horses.  Which was good for me because he has been known to try to crawl under or over the gate or try and squeeze himself between the gate and the fence post.  Lucky for me his head it too big to squeeze between the gate and the fence post, he always gets stuck!  We don't have any good areas to really play in the barn.  The horses are all kind enough to come over and say hello and don't mind the kids running around, squealing or climbing on the fence to pet them.  The problem is that both the kids like to be in the pen with the horses.  I can easily take 1 kid in at a time and let them sit on a horse and pet all the horses, but two kids is not so easy.  Vince is very good at waiting his turn, but Joel gets mad if he is left behind and tries to get in the pen on his own.

Brad and Vince having a discussion...Vince was not happy

Grandma Diane taking over!  Vince was much happier.

Tuesday while we were out there Joel was begging to ride one of the horses so I put him on top of one of them and just let him sit there.  He was very happy.  Vince, who rarely asks to sit on the horses, said "I want to ride Croc."  I told him to come over to the fence and I would let him ride Croc.  To which he replied "No, I want to ride Croc with a saddle and my helmet outside, Mommy!"  I tried to explain to him that it was too windy and we needed Daddy around to help us but Vince was not happy.  I offered to take him to Grandma's and he could ride one of her horses in the arena, but that was not cutting it either.  He was determined that he was going to ride Croc!  After a couple phone calls to my mother in law and Brad we had an official plan that on Wednesday when Brad was done with work I would meet him at the farm with the boys and Croc and Brad could help Vince ride.

Vince thinking he is steering, but Croc was following Grandma.

Vince very happy and gaining confidence.

Croc is Brad's horse and we have had him about 1 year.  He is amazing and we have found very little that bothers him.  Brad and I both have talked about how we would take a couple more horses just like him for the boys someday.  Brad hasn't ridden Croc since this fall and just jumped right on him in the arena and he was pretty much perfect!  Joel kept dragging me around the arena trying to catch up with Brad while he was riding and finally Brad stopped so Joel could ride with him.  Joel had a look on his face like that was the only place he wanted to be in the whole world!

Joel was mad he wasn't riding so he played with Daddy's phone.

Vince practicing flags.  Croc is embarrassingly dirty on his right side.

Brad wanted Vince to ride double with him too, but Vince only wanted to ride Croc by himself!  Brad was not happy that Vince wouldn't ride with him but finally gave in.  Brad was trying to help Vince from the ground and teach him different things, but it just wasn't going the way Brad or Vince wanted.  Croc was being super good but Vince just wasn't wanting to listen to all of Brad's detailed instructions.  Luckily Grandma Diane was there and took over, which Vince had wanted from the beginning.  Before we left our house he was telling me that I could stay home and watch Joel and Grandma would help him with Croc.  For whatever reason it is just easier to listen to Grandma sometimes.  Grandma and Vince had a great time and Vince did really well.  I am excited that both the boys are interested in the horses!  If Vince continues to like Croc this much Brad may be forced to ride Ray (our Percheron) this summer.

Brad riding Ray a couple years ago...he is next to a small horses so he looks a little bigger than he really is.