Where the horses are

I have flown to California three times this year.

They haven't been social visits. Together with my sisters, I've been helping my now ninety year old mother, who is living with advanced dementia.

The August visit was the longest and the hardest.

There was a point when I realized I had not touched - or even seen - a horse in nearly ten days.

My sister knows that is big a deal that is for me. She asked, "Do you know where there are horses near here?"

I laughed, because of course I did. It doesn't matter where I am. I always know where the horses are.

We drove to the nearest stable and loitered outside the perimeter fence with this cute little buckskin baby. It wasn't much, but it did actually make me feel better.

Unlike the April and August visits during which my sisters were present, this month's trip was a solo affair. 

I had a rental car and decided proactively that I would not let myself fall into such a horse deficient state. 

As it turned out, that wasn't difficult. Mom's new residence is in Burbank, which is the horsey heart of Los Angeles County.

In fact, the Los Angeles Equestrian Center is just a scant half mile from where she's living. 

After my first visit with Mom, I stopped in for a quick walk around on my way back to Altadena.

I peeked into the Equidome...

Impressive even when empty!...

and walked past the Cricket Field, which was being prepared for a drone show.

I also visited the gift shop.

I resisted the Breyers,

but I did buy a mug. I'll probably give that to my Model Horse Gift Exchange partner.

Although, LAEC is home to more than four hundred horses, I didn't see many of them. They were behind the boarders only fence, and I didn't want to be a problem.

Instead, I got back in the car, drove just a couple blocks down Riverside Drive and parked near one of the rental stables.

That wash rack right on the sidewalk is so LA County!

Temptations abounded, but it wasn't that kind of trip.

Maybe next time.

Eventually, I found my way to a tack shop.

Temptations abounded there as well.

But what really got my attention was the fiberglass horse on the roof.

It reminded me of another similar horse that was not so far away.

Just like that I knew where I was heading next!