This past Saturday, we went with the Macomb Christian Homeschoolers group on a field trip to KM Ranch. Seeing how every girl in the family is positively horse-crazy, this was a much anticipated day to say the least. In our usual fashion, we were late but still had 2 hours to enjoy the ranch.
We got there and paid our fee and then headed to the indoor arena. There was horse rides, grooming lessons, and practice roping. We also had a light lunch of hot dogs and chips. The girls seemed to enjoy themselves… perhaps Kayla a bit more than Rachel. 
Immediately, Kayla jumped in line for the horse rides. Rachel followed her sister and decided she wanted to ride a horse as well. They put her up on the horse and took her round one time. The entire time, she had a face of mixed emotions. It wasn’t until she was off the horse that she started crying hard. I don’t think she knew that the feeling she was feeling was of one being scared. Poor thing. It was the first time she ever felt frightened of anything. She finally calmed down and ate a hot dog and chips.
Afterwards, we went on a hay ride. The wagon was pulled by 2 Haflinger mixed breed horses. Mikayla enjoyed it but Rachel simply huddled up to me and covered her face the entire time. And what was Joshua doing the entire time? He slept through the entire bumpy hayride!
When we went inside, it was for a grooming lesson. The horse’s name was Rollie (photo below) and sweet as can be. We talked to his owner at length about ownership. She lives in Oak Park and drives up once a week to ride her horse, who is boarded at KM Ranch. That’s quite a drive!
Much to the girls’ dismay it was eventually time to go home. Monday night, Rachel suddenly got her dolly and put her on her rocking horse. Then she looked at us and told us in sign that dolly was scared. “No ride” Rachel kept telling us. We asked her if Rachel was scared, too, riding the big horse and she nodded. It was amazing how she was able to process the event and eventually sign how she felt. Rachel still loves horses… just not being on them.
