Mustang Saga

I am having trouble seeing from trying to read a couple blogs in white type on a black background. I wish that didn't give me so much trouble! I hate to ask people to change their look because I want to read, because it seems kinda selfish, but otherwise I can't read, so I may have to start speaking up and asking... I got a comment from Chloe with a very interesting looking blog - http://www.wildhorseproject.blogspot.com/ but I can't read it, darn it.

Which isn't the point of my blog post. I've been meaning to write about my plans for the year. I could call them resolutions but I don't like that word. And as another blogger wrote, resolutions are basically a way of saying, "these is my worst flaws," and sharing them with the world at large is a bit hard. I don't like to get that personal. But here are a few things I AM going to do this year.

I am going to get more fit, which for me has a lot of different aspects. I have to lose weight. I've been doing a good job of that slowly over the last couple years. I'm about 40lb lighter than my heaviest weight. That's about the weight of a saddle! I hope to lose about 20 pounds this spring, or possibly more, but we'll see how I feel at that point. I also need to work on flexibility and core strength. This will help in my riding but will also help in my overall body pain. Mainly it's in my back but I've been having big trouble with my left hamstring lately. Another part of my fitness plan is to work on my balance. It all ties together...

Other things I will do this year include several camping trips with the horses. I plan on doing at least two days of the John Wayne Trail ride. I'm also going to spend a weekend at Lakeview Ranch up near Odessa. Other camping destinations may be Escure Ranch near Sprague and Farragut State Park up by Sandpoint. I don't have dates planned yet.

I am going to work on my riding, taking some lessons. I have a huge amount of room for improvement. I should do a whole separate post on that... Maybe I will.

I am going to start Scout under saddle. I still hate the idea of splitting my time between two horses though. Every time I think, "I'm going to do such and such with Tonka," I remember that I also need to do it with Scout, and it's a lot of pressure and makes me not want to get started doing it with either of them, in case I don't have time to do it consistently with both. Dumb, really, but there it is.

Speaking of Scout, today I met a colt born of one of the mares that came from the same adoption Bella came from. They look similar, with the sabino markings, big wide blaze (this colt had more of a bald face) and roan in the flanks. He was not as fat as Scout, which I thought was appealing. I can't feed them less in this cold though (8 degrees right now). They're from separate HMAs but I think there must be some crossovers between the herds, they all seemed so similar at the adoption. This colt will be started under saddle soon, and riding in organized rides by April. I won't be in that much of a rush. :)

I may also do a short pack trip into the mountains somewhere, but that's not a must. Although I think it would be a great experience if I do get to do it.

I also plan on going to at least one adoption as a volunteer with my mustang boys. There's supposed to be one in Lewiston this year.

My sister wants me to buy, borrow, or beg an appaloosa and go on the Chief Joseph trail ride with her this year. I couldn't put that much time into another horse. Conditioning and the long ride through Montana. I love my horse. I would love to do this with him! But not with another horse. And they only allow appaloosas. :(

That's all I've got so far...