Today was another gorgeously sunny fall day, and since we started out on the strip, Bear was back to standing like a champ. In fact, he was really good at everything today. We ran through some circles and figure eights and few other things to get warmed up, and then we walked off into the… Read more »
Steen
I Won’t Stand For It
That is what Bear told me when we tried to ride in a new location yesterday. A big, noisy, fertilizing machine was driving through the soybean field rendering that a useless riding space for the time being and making the strip a less attractive place to be on a horse. So Robin and I decided… Read more »
Easy Sunday
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I have to mention the weather again. This fall has been exceptionally sunny and dry. Sunday was in the 80s, and there was almost no wind. It was actually too warm. I like a nice day as much as the next guy, but in October I’d… Read more »
Hill Walking
The weather continues to be perfect in this region of the US, and Robin and I went out to the barn hoping for a quiet ride through the fields. The barn was empty when we arrived, which is always a good sign. In the pasture the guys were working hard to get at the last… Read more »
The Good Seat
That’s what I had today. Of course, Bear didn’t bolt or buck or run off or do anything quite like that. But he wasn’t on his best behavior, either. He’d often express his desire to go in a direction different than the one I picked, his starts and stops were slightly unpredictable, and he would… Read more »
Bareback Outside
After a few cold nights and cool days we have moved on to some rather surprisingly warm fall weather. Today was close to 80, though it is amazing how different such temps feel in October than they do in July or August. They’re never bad in the summer, but they do pack a whole lot… Read more »
A Horsey Weekend
Again the weather was beautiful. The night times had frost warnings, but I don’t think we ever got quite below freezing. The days were sunny and warmed up in the high 50s on Saturday and into the 60s on Sunday. We rode both days. Saturday was a surprisingly busy day at the barn. We actually… Read more »
Grazing and Grooming
And a little riding afterwards, too. When Robin and I pulled Bear and Steen out of the pasture both the guys were quite ravenous. Saturday had been a chilly and wet day, plus the grasses just aren’t coming up like they do in the middle of the summer. Despite it being a Sunny Sunday afternoon… Read more »
More Bareback
Work has been exceptionally busy lately, and I came home with a tingle in my throat and a small desire to put my feet up and read a book. After a brief snack, a cup of tea, and a chat with Robin, I changed clothes (into my brand new pair of real riding jeans!) and… Read more »
Consistancy and Improvement
Years ago I remember reading an article about training for cycling in which an exercise physiologist said that a person is always gaining or losing fitness, they are never static. The reality, of course, is that a person can maintain a certain level of fitness for a little while. But it really is only just… Read more »