Mustang Saga

Joseph had a couple days off this week and I didn't get to hang out with him until late tonight, so I didn't bother trying to take pictures in the dark.  I saddled him at the trailer and unsaddled him at the trailer, with some liberty work in the round pen in-between.  It was nice to not have to lug everything to and from the round pen myself.

He's a pretty sweet guy, and he really tries hard every second.  He offers too many steps when I ask him with the stirrup to step over.  He's an over-achiever.  I had him do a fair amount of slow trotting with the saddle on.  There was a subtle hurky-jerky rhythm to his trot, more power in his strides for a couple steps, then relax, then more power, then relax.  A bit of tension there, I think.  He had one slight spook and scoot, I don't know why.  I wonder if he accidentally touched the fence with a stirrup or something.  I calmly asked him to continue on and he did.  I think we need to do a lot more wearing of the saddle, and working while wearing the saddle, before I up the ante in any way.

Speaking of saddles, there's a lovely treeless saddle for sale locally at a steal of a price.  I'd love to ride Joseph treeless, even if not all the time.  But I can't afford it even at the bargain price.  Oh well, I can't complain much.  I already have a very nice saddle.

I pulled up in the driveway earlier and spotted one of the horses at a distance through the round pen rails.  The way the sun was, it looked like Tonka.  He's still here, even though he isn't.  When I think I see him it doesn't surprise me; what surprises me is the split second later when I realize he's not here.  I think it's been harder lately because the seasons have rolled around again and now it feels just like when I lost him.  I'm not one to remember anniversaries of deaths and other bad things, in fact I purposely do not remember dates like that, but I can't help but feel the season changing.

Better to have loved and lost, as they say.  I wouldn't trade my time with him for anything, even if it means I have to miss him now.