Its a Wonderful Life--A Mill Swamp Christmas

I do not especially like Christmas. In fact, that is an understatement. I dislike Christmas as it has become in America--a festival designed around commercialism and greed. With that said, my family and my riders have really made this a wonderful holiday. The best part of Christmas came early when I got to tell a very hard working and dedicated young rider that the horse that she was training was her Christmas present. Two other horses went out to a county to the west of us and made for a very special Christmas for a family in Nelson county. Two new little riders had their first rides with us and Katie went on her first hard ride.
The next night the parents of my riders put together a spectacular Christmas party at the Little House which was attended by one of my daughters, her husband and my grand daughter. I was touched at the wonderful gifts that I received. The holiday just kept getting better. Katelynn decided to create a web site designed to inform young people about the threats that the Corollas face to their continued existence. She is a gifted writer and I have no doubt that her web site will be tremendous. On Christmas Day my three year old grandson came over, opened his presents, looked around the room and said, "I want to go ride a horse."
Friday Rebecca's father was visiting from Detroit. He got a chance to ride with us and to see what a spectacular trainer Rebecca has become. My wife has become a very strong person and is in great health. She plans to start riding hard again this year.
Yesterday I began to work Red Feather again. He took Jacob and Ashley on his back while I lead him for over an hour without serious incident.
Thanks to my family, my riders, and my horses this has been a very Merry Christmas.

This is a picture of Terry on Quien Es? from the 2007 Christmas Parade.