Maria’s evolutionary interaction with her pony, Chloe, continues. We went out to do the afternoon chores and Maria said she was going to ride Chloe bareback and she just climbed on and swung herself over. Chloe looked as comfortable as I’ve seen her and so did Maria. This is an intimate thing to see, a closeness between human and animal, Maria has it with the donkeys, now she has it with Chloe.

I think she will love riding bareback, I think something about it makes Chloe feel especially comfortable. Another thing I see Maria doing that I could not have imagined just a few years ago. It is never too late to change, to grow, to love, to learn.