One for the road

When I was little, my model horses lived in a corner of the living room.

Then I got "too many," and they were banished to the basement.

This basement is not a nice, fully finished basement like we have at home. It's basically a small cement room with half walls encircled by crawl space.

That didn't bother me. All I cared about was having lots of room for my horses.

Most of the herd has long since joined me in Colorado, but there are still a few living down there. My mom would like to see them gone, but I can't bear the thought of a horseless home. As a compromise I take one home with me every time I visit.

This time it's Aspy.

Aspy is a grey Appaloosa Family Arabian Foal with two legs creatively repaired by my father. He is one of my oldest, dearest and most fragile models.

It's this fragility that's prevented me from bringing him home sooner. I would be devastated if Dad's careful work was undone in transit, so I've never wanted to risk taking him on a plane. We're traveling by car this time, so it's the perfect opportunity to transport him safely. Plus, now I have Protectibles.

These thickly padded, super deluxe pony bags are handmade by Tara Reich. I purchased a few from her yesterday during our get together at the park.

Unlike most model bags, Protectibles are rectangular in shape, minimizing pressure on fragile legs.

This one is perfect for Aspy.

We're on our way back to Colorado! It's been a great week, but I'm ready to be home.