Welcome Spring

I admit it, I've been rather bad about keeping up my blog. I've been really busy with moving into the new place and fixing it up, building fence, just a ton of stuff to do. Friday was the last day of spring break and I skipped work and declared it a work day at home. Got the pen all finished and the horses off the pasture. Sounds like a simple task but it took a lot of work and time. The horses like their new loafing shed, even Zap stands inside it when it rains. There is a surprise!

Yesterday the pasture got plowed and seeded. So now I get to do the farmer thing: appreciate the rain, pray the wind doesn't blow all the dirt and seed away, and hope for a nice pasture for the horses. The garden spot got dug up and with some raking out is ready to go. I can plant cool weather veggies now. Th daffodils I planted last winter in front of the house are blooming now adding some color to the yard that I just seeded. Spring brings all things anew as they say.

A week ago, March 21, the South Central Idaho riders put on an endurance and trail clinic and I was one of the speakers. It had been a long time since I spoke at any clinics or seminars so I know I forgot a few things. But I was pleased that those that came enjoyed it and had a good time. My biggest piece of advice was "Know your horse" and every little detail about him. My next tip was to Return to the Basics, get a stethoscope and learn to really take care of your horse on the trail and at home. Do more trail riding vs condiioning rides, exploring and going places with your horse, it really brings the two of you together outside the competition world. We had MC Isaac as our model and he patiently agreed to letting one and all take his pulse, listen to his gut sounds, examine his legs and modeled some easyboots. He didn't admit to it but I'm sure Isaac enjoyed all the attention.

Yesterday when us gals rode there was new grass everywhere and the Yellow Bells are beginning to bloom. The brown hillsides are getting some color and new beauty. A month old calf that had wandered from mom followed us for about a mile convinced one of the horses was mom. Poor little guy. Mom had probably stashed him somewhere and he failed to stay put as told. But the range cows are resilient and we know they'll match up again. We had a bit of rain but it was warm so none of us cared. We think we'll be in shape enough for Steph's April Tough Sucker ride. It'll be slow but we'll be fine. The ground is drying out so in the next couple weeks we'll have to head out to Devils Gate and Three Fingers.

However today it's back to the same old stuff. Cold and hard winds. Wind chill is about 15 this morning. BRRRR! Have a great spring!

Favorite Quotes

As I was out enjoying and my horse and the beautiful view of the Snake River today I was mulling through my mind where I was a year ago with Thunder. And I thought, wow! Have we come a long ways, I sure wouldn't have been out riding him all by myself! That took until last summer before i did that.

One of my favorite quotes after my "crash" is John Wayne's "Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway." That quote just speaks volumes, and it hangs on the wall of my utility room so I see it every time I walk in the door. But it also assumes that you are getting on the horse, so my addition to that quote is "Real courage is being scared to death but riding the horse anyway."

A few more strides on the trail mixed with fleeting thoughts and I recalled how last fall at Owyhee some people thought it amazing that I had ridden this horse after all that we went through. Trot, trot, trot. Yeah, but I told myself so many people tried to DIScourage me from riding him that they almost had me believing that I couldn't. Thank God I had friends who ENcouraged me and told me that I COULD ride him! Truth was that I had to ride him. I had my doubts but when I thought of that "Courage"quote and John Wayne it was "I can do this!" Trot, trot, trot, ever notice how discourage and encourage both use the word COURAGE yet have such different meanings? It's so easy to influence people by the use of words. Lope, lope, trot, I would have missed out on so much fun had I not ridden him. John Wayne also said "A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do." Trot, trot, trot, Thunder and I have shared some great trail moments in the Owyhees and Sawtooths. Oh he's still a hot head and a handful, but we are working at it. Trot, trot, trot, and a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do too. So little time to ride compared to all the other things I have to do. OK Thunder we gotta make plans for this summer. And sometime I have to start riding your cousin too.

Thunder lopes along effortlessly through the sage and sand and the view of the Snake River is just gorgeous. Curlew are swirling overhead and whistling, they are upset at a hawk flying in their territory. The sky is dark to the south and looks like snow down by Three Fingers. The sandy road tracks down the hill with the amazing vista of farms mixed with wide open spaces on the other side of the river. Life is good, thanks for the ride Thunder!