Mustang Saga

A happier picture of Soxy. I let her out this morning thinking she'd stick close by because I was getting her grain ready but she went for a walkabout and I had to go get her. Luckily she doesn't move fast and she just wanted to visit Bella. See her sticking her tongue out at me?
Her little walk allowed me to listen to her breathing. It sounded pretty normal. A week ago it would have been loud and labored. I think we're getting the inflammation down. I know the tumor won't go away but this will buy us time.


Bella in the Ricotti pad again. I don't think it's dumping the saddle back onto her loin. In fact, it's lifted up in the back just like it should be. The seat looks level to me.





Today we worked a lot more on turns, and not getting distracted by workers on the highway. Then we just travelled the rail for a while. When I was happy with how that was going I asked for a trot. It was choppy, and quite frankly she was a little pissy about it. She did it though, 2-3 times. Then we turned around and went in the other direction. When I asked her to pick up a trot she did, with minimal attitude, and this time it was sheer heaven! I could ride that trot for miles. I wish you could feel it. Lovely. I dismounted and called it good.

I mentioned how I put up my saddle the other day, so I thought I'd expound about that. I don't like straps and junk hanging everywhere.

I learned this breastcollar storage trick from the horseman up the hill. It keeps it nicely in place. At first I thought it took too much time, but better that than tripping over stuff.

(Of course we all know to cinch up the front cinch first, and let it out last, right?)

Here's my main complaint about the Smart Cinch. Any other cinch I'd hang my back cinch on the buckle pin from the front cinch, and then hang that on the saddle. But that doesn't work so this is what I do:

I worry that over time the folded back buckle will wear on my saddle. When I get around to it I'll either turn this cinch around so the regular buckle is on this side, or switch it out for a string cinch.

And here you see the sweaty side is out, able to dry. I'm real particular about how I put stuff up.
If you go anywhere there are a bunch of horsemen together, you might notice them checking out each other's gear and how they handle it. I think you can tell a lot about a person by their tack and how they handle it. Maybe they don't give a damn, maybe their gear is old and worn but well fitted and well cared for, maybe they have everything that's in style right now and it's all barely used. I think I'd fit in the greenhorn category based on my stuff, but at least I'm careful how I handle it. To me, my saddle is a work of art and deserves care. My horse too, of course - I should keep my stuff reasonably clean and pay attention to whether it's comfortable for the horse.