Writing and riding

I'm not sure how it happened that my time has been so swallowed up by other things that blogging has fallen off my to-do list but it very obviously has done just that. Much of it stems from the overwhelming feeling that revelations and insights about my relationships with the horses could not possibly be as interesting to others as they are (sometimes) earthshaking--or at very least head-shaking--to me.

Calabar and I are still working on our riding and we seem to be cooperating better than ever these days. He needs a confident hand--or as Allie says, more leg--and somewhere along the line, I found that in myself. At least most days. It also appears I've forgotten how to ride in a western saddle, so I'll be working on that with Lena and hoping I don't irritate her too much in the process. My left foot refuses to stay in the stirrup at a canter, regardless of what direction I'm going or how short the stirrups are. I have no idea what's causing this so my only solution is to toss that heavy saddle up more than every other month or so.

After Allie tortured my by raising the stirrups

We still have not gotten out on the trail this year but the trailer is in good repair so if I can stop making us too many plans on the weekends, it could actually happen now that weekends are back to normal. I'd been working Sunday-Thursday which left Saturday as cleaning and family errand day. Convincing Steve to play hooky on a Friday was never as successful as I'd hoped it might be. Oh, well.

It's like riding a bike? 

We did get up to Slide in July and had a nice time despite inferno-like temperatures. We didn't ride as much as we planned because of the heat, but Allie got to work the mechanical cow on Lena, Adrienne got to ride again after a long (6 years?) break and we got to catch up with Ike and Cheri. It's a gift in life to know people you can reconnect with easily, like the last two years were only a couple weeks. The plan is to visit in October next year when temperatures should be less horrid.

Lena shows Allie how to chase a cow

Calabar and Lena also got to meet Tuffy which was an interesting experience for all of us. Neither of them, to my knowledge, has been around foals much. They were totally enthralled with this tiny baby horse. Even my big, brown gelding was completely enchanted by this little being.

"His nose is so small!"

"No, we can't have one," we said.

"Are you SURE?" they said.

"Tuffy is right there!"

"Oh, yes. We're sure."

Tuffy and his momma, Truly a Hot Pepper

So.. I am continuing to learn and am finding a bond with Calabar that deepens with every ride. Do I have the need to share each and every milestone? Not so much any more. I have some other writing projects I'm working on and he plays a part in them, as does Lena, but my journey here has hit a bit of an impasse. Will I come back to it? I probably will here and there. I love my horses and the joy, grounding and comic relief they toss into my life on a regular basis. Sharing that with the world is simply not a priority for me anymore.

I think that's okay, at least for now.