I'm mentioned Love Bug a few times. This is because my family is leasing her for the summer. So my mom pays for her board and rides her, while I teach her basic horsemanship and manage Love Bug's care. I also ride Love Bug occasionally, for conditioning and schooling purposes, especially when she is being bratty with my mom.

I freaking love this deal. Love Bug is a doll, and Andy loves her as well. I get to ride with my mom, and I also get to ride Love Bug whenever I feel like it. Shockingly enough, after riding just Andy for 7 months, I prefer riding him to Love Bug. I just like his big trot, and his rocking horse canter. He's a very good dressage prospect, and very responsive to slight cues. I can ride him completely from my seat, and I can work with him on variations in each gait (ZOMG extended trot). Love Bug...well, she's a pokey, fat little pony with a short-legged trot/canter that's heavy on the forehand. She's sweet, but Andy has my heart completely. But riding her helps convince me how far my riding's come in the past three years. 2 1/2 years ago I tried cantering her without stirrups. I lasted about 3 strides, then ate dirt. Now I can canter her not only without stirrups, but bareback as well. And I can sit her trot now, which makes me feel less like a failure for not being so good at it with Andy (but now I can sit her trot, I am doing better with his!).

Love Bug is 22, and I can tell she is slowing down. She seems to have less energy under saddle than I remember. I do not, under any circumstances, want her going back to the polo team. Now that I have my claws into her (well, have her at my barn), I don't want to let go. I am 110% sure that she will be happier and better cared for with me. Not that the team mistreats their horses, but playing competitive polo and getting whipped and spurred by multiple fucksticks is no way for a 22 year old mare to spend her time. Plus the club doesn't have the money to spoil their horses like my family and I do. They didn't even shell out $10 for a West Nile Innovator Vaccine. Wtf, polo club, wtf. She'll get a 5-way, her feet done every 3 months, and her teeth floated once a year. We will get her every vaccine the vet recommends, yearly check-ups. bi-annual teeth floats, trims AND shoes every 8 weeks, treats, love, very light riding, and lots of playtime in the pasture with boyfriend Andy.

I have several plans. The one I am going with now is this: I have a wellness exam for her with my vet next Monday (And I am going to have her get a damn West Nile vaccine then too! Silly polo team! It's a core vaccine. I'll even throw in Strangles for good measure). I am going to have a talk with him about whether or not she should be playing intercollegiate polo. And I will take whatever he says to the polo club, along with an offer to buy her. And if they decline, that's where it gets fun :-). My options might include faking a career ending injury for her, or a high-maintenance medical condition that they won't want to pay for, or maybe just going AWOL and not answering my phone, because they don't actually know where she is. HA! Okay, I actually won't steal LB, but the thought has crossed my mind. I will go to bat for my animals, and Love Bug is as good as mine.