Some kids spend their spring break on the beach or at amusement parks. Others stay closer to home, but hit the museum. My kindergarten son, during his first spring break, is spending his time off working in the barn with his grandma and grandpa (my parents).

Leo likes nothing more than a day in the dirt, whether it’s dragging the arena (shown here); driving trucks in the paddock; or riding our 28-year-old gelding, Otis, bareback. We live in the suburbs, so I can guarantee that most of his classmates aren’t steering an old tractor around an arena during their time off.

I love getting photos like the one above while I’m working on the magazine. It reminds me why I do what I do: To spread my love of all things horses and agriculture and rural—no matter how close (my own family) or how far (the families of strangers). 

It also makes me recall my own spring breaks, spent shedding out horses and riding (if the weather cooperated) or sitting inside, wishing I was out riding (if the weather went Colorado Crazy and we wound up with a spring blizzard).

Here’s hoping horse kids you know are getting plenty of barn time during their short break.