Time marches on and days at Arlington Hall came to a close.  Mom pushed on into a new chapter of life, her twenties, which brought marriage and family.  Horses were placed on hold or rather part-time, at least for awhile.

Before the time my twin and I could remember (we are the youngest in the family), Mom had friends who owned horses near our home in Charlottesville, Virginia.

We little twins meeting another ‘little.’

She went out as often as she was able and had we little twins in tow. She had discovered her next riding buddies, and we discovered our passion. Our training began early. We would take turns riding with her in the ring. The old horse was our teacher. Mom was teacher to the younger, more energetic horse. That horse felt huge to us as we sat astride him. Mom would laugh and urge us on.

This author cannot tell which of us is which!

A frightening memory still holds a place for us. We were watching Mom excercise her horse over jumps in the outdoor ring, when the horse went into a bucking spree. Mom flew off into the air and met with a hard thump on the ground. She lay still. Running towards her with great fear as we little twins yelled, “Mommma, Momma!” She pushed herself up from the ground and stood up. To our great relief, she was alright. She told us later that she thought herself back at Arlington Hall. It was our yelling “Momma” that shook her reverie.

A proud, happy student. See the silver cup in her hand?

We are so biased here at Blue Rock Horses. Any photo with a horse in it just has to be good. Add a pretty, young lady and it is a take. The time and place is unknown to us, but we are certain it is another photo from Mom’s days at Arlington Hall. Here is a fun fact, there were three sets of girl twins at Arlington Hall at the time Mom and Auntie Bliss were there! We wonder, did they confuse the horses?

Today is Mom’s (and Auntie Bliss’s) birthday. They were born in New York, February 5, 1925. Mom always thought herself so clever to be born on 2-5-25. As if she had something to do with it! They both were life-long, accomplished horsewomen. So this day we have decided to post a picture of the both of them.

Mom (standing) and Auntie Bliss on one of their school horses at Arlington Hall after a show.

“Time and tide wait for no man,” our mother was known to say many times. We never knew she was quoting Geoffrey Chaucer. She liked it that way, it was a game for her to play on us. We just thought she knew everything! All the worlds’ knowledge was somehow stored in her down-feathered pillow and every night would enter her brain through osmosis! How else were we to explain her expansive knowledge?

Mom astride her huge gaited gelding, Duke.

In the early morning light of a cold January morning while spreading straw in the horse stalls, I am reminded of just how cozy a barn is.  The horses make their way in to stand in the fresh straw and quietly eat their sweet smelling hay.  In this peaceful setting it is hard to think of the worries the day may (will) hold for us.  There is no rush at this moment.  The horses have a calming, comforting affect as does the barn.

It does not mind dirt on its floor.  It houses birds and mice without complaining.  Cats find warm spots to sleep, and cobwebs wave happily in its rafters.  Even a Baby was born in the barn.  The rain plays a rhythmic tune as it falls on the roof.  A day begins and ends in the barn—the wonderfully, cozy barn.

On wet, snowy days, our horses get their hay inside the open barn.

The ‘littles’ are what we call our miniature horses here on the farm.  The name has a family history, if you will.  That is because I am a twin, and we have an older set of twins (our mom was a twin also!).  My twin and I are the younger set, and have therefore always been called the ‘little’ twins.  So for fun, the mini’s are called the ‘littles’, and our full-sized horses are called the ‘bigs.’

The ‘bigs’ and the ‘littles.’

But here is a thought—my twin and I are actually bigger than our older ‘big’ twins.  Perhaps then we should call the ‘bigs’ the ‘littles’ and the ‘littles’ the ‘bigs’!  Oh my!!