Back In The Saddle Again

       I had stopped riding after the 3 day clinic near the end of September; one- because I didn't have time, two- because I was over whelmed with information, and three- because I wanted to get a snaffle bit as Larry had recommended.  Well, I bought a new bit and started back up with weekly riding lessons with Marj.  I have had 2 now.  She has been able to break down all that Larry showed us into smaller amounts that I can now work on,                                                                                     on a weekly
basis.  I have been practicing in our round pen several days a week.  Courtney started leasing Bien (one of Marj's young Paso Finos) the first of October.  So, I have gone over to ride with her at Marj's occasionally as well.  I miss having a riding buddy. 

     Courtney had a lesson the afternoon of the 7th and I had Joe drive Amiga and I over so that I could ride with Courtney and then ride Amiga home.  Well, Marj asked Joe if he wanted to hop up on Vinnie for a bit and he took her up on it.  So Joe, Courtney, Marj and I rode together in the fields around her place.  Everything has been harvested just about, so it is nice to have more area (the fields) in which to ride.

      We had a three day weekend for Columbus Day, so I took advantage of the extra time by riding 2+ hours each day.  I did have  school work that needed attention, but the big farm jobs were, for the most part, complete.  Joe, Dan, Britney and I set up camp at Moraine View Saturday early afternoon. 

Then we relaxed while waiting for Marj and Richard to join up with us.
 









Britney and Kaysha chilling.
Joe napping in the hammock above.
And Courtney is with another horse lover, Nan, in the picture below, while Mike is texting or something.  Richard and Marj's camper is in the background, with our tents behind it.

            Courtney and I went for a long trail ride with Marj, Richard and Kim once they came out with the rest of the horses.  Nan "baby sat" Kaysha and Dan and Mike took off on their own little mission.  Joe and Britney had taken off for a run through the woods.  It was great weather and with the leaves turning color it was beautiful.
























     Joe, Dan, Britney and I (along with Kaysha) camped out there Sat. night joining Marj and Richard.  Several others came out to eat and sit around the camp fire with us.  I took Amiga home for the night so Zorro wouldn't be so lonely.  Also I knew I would sleep better not having to worry about her.

   
     We went for another long ride early afternoon Sunday.  This time Britney went with us riding Vinnie.  She got along great....but was a bit sore when we were done.  Amiga seemed to want to gait instead of walk, but it was a nice slow, relaxed, smooth gait.  So I let her go.  Again it was very pretty scenery and weather. I did have to grade some papers, but it wasn't bad.

     My neighbor lady Lisa invited me to ride with her at Moraine View Monday morning, which I did.  We went on some different trails which I enjoyed.  She kept her big quarter horse at a slow walk so Amiga was forced to do the same.  After an hour, we realized we were going to be late if we didn't push it on around the lake.  So Lisa really picked up the pace.  I tried to keep Amiga at a gait, but if she got too far behind Mark (Lisa's horse), who was cantering and trotting, she would break out of gait into a faster (and bumpier) gait of some sort.  It was another incredibly great day.

     I had to head to town Monday afternoon for a dentist appointment, taking the goldfish from the pond to school first.  I stayed in town and went to my Bible Study.  While in a "funk" the end of September and early October, I had stopped reading my Bible.  This, along with not ridding and working too many hours on school work and around the farm, really caused me to be down mentally and spiritually.  I have re-committed to reading the Bible first thing every morning and can see it is making a difference.  So, in this respect, I am also back in the saddle again as well.

     Courtney had her room mate here for the night the first weekend in October.  She brought her kitten Squeaky whom we all (except Abbey maybe) really enjoyed.  Britney was helping me enter grades in the last of this series of pictures while Squeaky was exploring.

     We also took Zorro over to Marj's to be seen by a Chiropractor to see if that would help with his healing process.  The Dr. said Zorro is not really tight anywhere so seeing her would not be necessary.  She did give Courtney some exercises to do on Zorro to help strengthen and stretch his back and neck. It was some of the same things Larry had shown us.

     With all the crops being harvested and the fields being disc-ed....along with no rain, it has been very dusty. 

     But some of the sunrises and sun sets have sure been pretty.  Wish my camera could capture their true beauty.

    We have also noticed a huge increase in dead mice.  The barn cats are doing a great job, but because they are too well fed, they leave the kill out around the barn.  The pile on the rubber mat was from 1 day/night....they left two of them there and I added the others I had found laying around.  I gave these all a proper burial in the manure pile.  I have seen the chickens eating and fighting over mice corpses. The dog has even caught a few live mice when we have let her run loose.

     Work around here continues at a slower pace.   Daniel has done some odds and ends for us in the past 10 days....but nothing major.  Britney started a part time job 2 weeks ago and we have been riding in to town together.  She has not had as much time to help out around here, but has still done a lot for us.  Joe borrowed a harrow from Becks and drove around
                                                                                    the inside of 

the round pen, leveling everything including the weeds. 


     He also finished the hitching post beside the round pen.

     As you can see in the picture above, the pasture hay is starting to fill in.


     I have been watering everything like crazy, while praying for rain.  The new grass seed around the shelter is just starting to sprout while the leaves have begun to fall.  And my mums have made a nice recovery from the heat.

     We saw a few deer, a flock of wild turkeys, a skunk, a raccoon and one bow hunter out in the woods over the three days we were at Moraine View.  We heard owls, coyotes and various bugs and frogs during the night.  The blue skies and white clouds made a perfect backdrop for all the colors the trees were displaying.  Chatting with family and good friends around the campfire was nice and relaxing.  My horse did a great job on the trails and trailering all three days.  Life is soo good.  I am soo blessed. And it is soo nice to be back in the saddle again.