You won't believe what arrived in my mailbox today! A small package, lumpy and bizarre-feeling, containing - ta-da! - a hoofpick signed by none other than the amazing Gail Greenough. Just in case you are not falling on the floor with astonishment, here's a brief bit stolen from Wikipedia about Ms Greenough...

Gail E. Greenough (born March 7, 1960) is a Canadian equestrian. She was the first woman, the first Canadian, the first North American and the youngest person ever to win the World Show Jumping Championships. Greenough was champion in 1986 at Aachen, riding a horse called Mr T (Hann). In 1990, she was made a Member of the Order of Canada.

Wow. Just wow. And how did this amazing treasure (which, btw, will never go anywhere near the filth inside a horse hoof...) wind up in my mailbox? Turns out my sister, Tonya, is doing a little barn work where the illustrious (can you tell she is one of my heros? heroines?) Gail Greenough herself rides... I can only think that Tonya slipped the appropriate horse an extra-big carrot... or swept the outside of a certain stall extra thoroughly... or squirreled a crisp $50 in the right grooming box... Do I care exactly how this came to be? Not really. So thank you thank you thank you Tonya! And thank you thank you thank you Gail Greenough!