Sweet Nothings

With as many hours I logged this weekend in the saddle, you would think SOMETHING note-worthy would have happened. Nope. Nadda. Zip.

In deep sand at the trot, canter, and spook the renegades stayed on, even though I haven’t gotten around to figuring out how to adjust the Velcro toe straps.

Farley apparently doesn’t care if I play with sharp pointy objects from her back. (So, on our next cavalry saber practice day I shall pop balloons and pick up plates. That has GOT to illicit SOME sort of reaction….she has her crazy arab reputation to upkeep after all).

Matt got in the saddle again and managed to follow the time-age rule of man on top, horse on bottom. My dad managed the same thing, although not nearly as gracefully. During the mounting process I watched with interest as Dad demonstrated how slippery new jeans are.

My trailer did not behave in any improper ways.

My friend, newly graduated from vet school, even after years and years of not riding, managed to look absolutely fabulous in the saddle at all gaits. Sigh Apparently I’m the ONLY one in my circle where the whole seat thing on the horsey doesn’t come naturally….

After the poker/raffle ride I had to “school” my crazy arab in an English saddle. Much to the disappointment of the spectators I stuck like glue to my saddle, even in jeans and ropers. Farley behaved like a complete air head during the WALKING trail ride and we had to have a little conversation about her behavior afterwards. She got the point and was an ANGEL about cavalry practice later in the afternoon. She may have been trying to uphold the crazy arab image to all those cowboys, but I was NOT following for her evil plan and obliging by falling off 3 times in the schooling session (unlike a certain poker ride earlier in the year where I got to see a women fall her arab multiple times – in an English saddle – and got to endure the multiple comments of aforementioned western people all around me).

But don’t worry…with everything going so perfectly it can only go downhill from here! I’m sure something entertaining and blog-worthy will happen soon.

Update: I went to Del Valle this morning and rode for 1 1/2 hours in the front renegades.

The only point of today's ride was to get her sweaty, since I haven't seen sweat on this horse (under the saddle blanket doesn't count) since Tevis. Mission accomplished AND the boots stayed on. And it wasn't a "nice" trail ride either - it was a lunge and claw up hills with multiple spooks, and some downhills so steep I dismounted. We were both having "issues" (see last paragraph of the blog and you'll understand....) so instead of the nice trotting miles I envisioned, it was a battle of wills and at times, a terrifying rate of speed. I'm so very happy with the boots. Trouble free, no learning curve, and they STAY one. Not to mention they go on and off in less than 5 seconds. UPS tried to deliver my hind renegades today, so I can go pick them up tomorrow!

Farley was an unmentionable word this morning and I wasn't exactly oozing sweet kindness and goodness but we got through the ride without actually killing each other. Ahh the joys of being women....by next week we'll both be in better moods.