Happy Birthday Moe!

Today, my beloved Richnfree turns 19 years old. To celebrate, we're going to have a good gallop around the field, following by lots of apples. 

Here's 19 facts about my 19 year old horse! (And pictures, duh.)

1. My parents bought Moe for me in 2003 after my horse Spike was having issues being a safe and reliable jumper.
2. I met Moe for the first time at my Pony Club's spring horse trials. He'd just won the beginner novice division. 
3. Moe has never had a penalty on a cross-country course, time or otherwise. He has had lots of penalties in show jumping for knocking rails.
4. Moe is a garbage disposal and eats anything: apples, carrots, any kind of horse treat, granola bars, peppermints, donuts (cake and plain glazed). 
5. If you offer him a bottle of Gatorade with the twist top, he'll grab it between his teeth and flip it up to drink it. His favorite kind is blue raspberry; he won't touch fruit punch.
6. Several years ago while prepping for an event, I decided the local XC course and the jumps at home weren't challenging enough. So I jumped him over the hood of my dad's car.
7. Moe competes in a snaffle bit for all three phases of an event.
8. He's always on the bottom of the pecking order, no matter what horses he's turned out with. He doesn't seem to mind.
9. Moe is the first horse I've ever had with a white marking on a leg. I used to scrub and scrub with White 'n Brite before shows because I wanted that pastern to shine!
10. Moe only raced once before he was sent down the eventing career path. He was an abysmal failure who lacked competitive drive. He was completely happy to run at his own pace and let other horses pass him.
11. His head is tiny. He wears a cob sized bridle, and regular sized halters can slip off him while buckled.
12. He loves water and will stand by the water trough in the summer, waiting to be sprayed off while someone fills up the tank. He'll also wade into ponds and stand like a hippo.
13. Moe loves riding trails. He's surefooted and brave, and goes out alone or in a group.
14. He hates having his face brushed. He almost always lifts his head and shies away as if I'm going to hit him. (To my knowledge, no one has ever hit him in the head.)
15. Moe always answers to his name; if he can hear someone yelling for him, he will always head toward them.
16. Even though I always carry a bat while jumping, I've only ever smacked him with it once, when he ran out at a jump at an XC school.
17. The highest we've jumped is 4'. In college, I'd make my friend Amy be jump crew while we played "How High Can Moe Jump?"
18. His nicknames include Moe Moe Sillypants, Moezilla, Moe Money Moe Problems, The Camel, and Moemar. 
19. Moe only has one half-sibling, a gelding who had 8 starts and zero places. Failure runs in the family!

Happy birthday, sweet pony! I hope you live another 19 years.