I've been looking forward to going to Horse Camp for weeks, and finally the weather cooperated.

Now that we're down to three horses, I can take the whole household with me in one trip.  Here are my three redheads settling in.

That evening we took the horses for a hike, then the next day we did it again, but saddled them in case we wanted to ride.

I look behind me:

 

I look ahead of me:

 

My good horse gave each of the kids a ride when they got footsore.

 

I was pleasantly surprised at how well he did with Katia.  They were a good team.

 

 I rode all three horses at different times.  John forgot his riding boots and didn't want to risk riding in tennis shoes on a green colt.  While I was riding Scout lost his cool and got all squiggly and nervous when he saw numerous puddles in one spot.  But other than that he was a good boy.  Bella did GREAT and I think she's ready for a real ride, one that's not mostly a hike.  She still has a long ways to go but I was pleasantly surprised by how relaxed she was.

They slept tied up for two nights, and they stood tied a lot during the day too.  It was a difficult learning experience for Scout.  He actually managed to walk under the rail at one point, which I didn't think that was possible.  He danced and fidgeted a lot, but by the end of the trip he was standing like an old bored pro.  I was a little worried about Bella because she can't lock her knees to sleep standing up, but she didn't try to lay down as far as I could tell, and she didn't seem overly tired. 

You should have seen them when we left this morning.  They all loaded right up, eager to be getting out of there.  When we got home they had a good roll and then ran and snorted and shook off all the stress of the camping trip.  Now they're all laying in the pasture having a nice nap.

We saw two elk with a baby, a tiny baby bunny right at our feet, a gigantor caterpillar, a silly grouse, and lots of butterflies.  The horses don't like butterflies, but the butterflies like them.

Tonka's little friend:

 Now I'm exhausted.  Didn't sleep well last night in the rain.  And I just don't know if horse camping with the whole family is really a good idea.  It probably didn't help that the horses weren't very settled (I think they needed much longer rides to wear them out for all the standing around).   And we had too many riders and not enough grooms, if you know what I mean.  It wore me out more than it was really worth, and I think the kids would enjoy a less horse-centric camping trip.  So I probably won't be doing this again any time soon.  But it was good training for the green horses!  Lots of firsts for both of them.

 More hiking with beautiful Bella.  She thinks the whole thing pretty much stinks.  But she did really enjoy hanging out in the creek.  She loves water, especially if there's grass in it.

 I decided she was so happy here that I could mount up and cross the creek.  There's Katia back at the other side. 

 Then I got down and Bella had a nice meal while Liam played in the water. 

On the way back I got on and rode a few times.  The kids didn't have good trail horse etiquette.  One left me totally behind and the other kept stopping right in front of me.  Then he ran off.  So we were all alone and she didn't like that a lot.  She didn't do anything dumb, she just hurried to catch up, and I was wanting her to slow down going down hill.  Rather than argue about it I just walked the rest of the way.  I'd say it was a pretty darn good trail ride even though there wasn't a lot of riding.  She wasn't as relaxed today, but we were in a place where she's been pretty tense before so I wasn't surprised.  Tonka doesn't like it much either.  I think it must smell more wild down there by the water or something.  And there are always crows cawing. 

I better quit playing and get some work done.  I think we might be able to do some fun stuff this weekend but I want to get the house in order first, in hopes that someone will come look at it.

Suddenly I have too much to talk about and too many pictures.  Which isn't really something to complain about, right?  It's nice to have some good stuff to talk about.

 I'll start with today.  The kids and I went with Bella out to an easy trailhead in the mountains not far from here.  We ran into a traffic jam on the way there:

 

When we got there Bella was a little concerned about the wild children running around by the creek:

 And she kept a close eye on the crazy dogs too:

Trying to set up for a family portrait:

Look! Even Bella is smiling!

I love her eye in this picture.  She looks like some otherworld creature.

She did so very well with our hike that when we got back to the trailhead I saddled up and we rode.  A teeny-tiny bit anyway.

Isn't she just beautiful?

Little bit of ground work.  She wasn't really with me mentally, which is why we didn't ride much.

Baby Blue, who isn't such a baby anymore, but he sure looks funny here!

Another very short ride at the trailhead.  I wasn't wearing riding boots, I know.  I hadn't thought it would go well enough to ride. 

 

Yesterday Scout's big trail ride at Gold Hill went really well.  We had some issues with fear of puddles but he got better as we went along.  I was proud of him for being so steady.  He only spooked once, and it was slight.  Dang log snuck up on him out of nowhere.  Don't know why that log was any different from the hundreds of other logs we saw.

Big fat fella makes my big saddle look small:

Going places:

Beautiful places:

Getting some love:

Old log cabin from the gold rush days:

Love it when the sun shines down on my horse's ears:

Tired guy:

Lakhota taking a break:

Walking back on the road:

We had to cut our ride short and take the logging road back rather than finish the loop on the trail as planned.  It was just taking too long and we had kids to get back to.  Maybe I'll get to do the whole loop one of these days.  As it was we did 8.2 miles in about 4 hours (I walked about half that to spare Scout's fat baby self and his tender feet on the gravel road).

Here's the Everytrail map of our trip.  This started out as Palouse Trail System # 763 and turned left at Palouse Trail # 215.  The Forest Service trail number was 3289. If you want to do a lot of riding in this area I highly recommend buying the Forest Service map.  This trail was very well maintained with just some areas where the branches are in your face, but it was quite slick and somewhat steep, with a few places where the trail is on an edge that drops off.  There are puddles (terrifying puddles - ask Scout) and two water crossings.  Not a terrible trail at all but a little bit challenging.  I wouldn't want to do it on a horse that wasn't sure-footed or didn't listen well, and I wouldn't take someone on it if they didn't really enjoy trail riding.  If we had gone back down on the slick trail rather than the road I think it would have been pretty challenging and possibly dangerous on a tired colt.  I might wait for a dry spell to go back and try the whole loop.

I've had a lovely couple of rides on Bella over the last three days.  She is so steady!  And she has a nice little stride I could ride all day.  I can't wait until I get the chance to do that.  I think I'm going to take her hiking in the mountains this week and see how she holds up.  Forests bother her.  But she's made so much progress recently I can't wait to see what she thinks this time.

Tomorrow I'm headed for the mountains with Scout.  Can't wait.  This is a trail I've been meaning to take for years that goes through some old mining areas.  Starts out with a water crossing.  I can't remember ever crossing water with Scout, so I'm not sure what to expect.  I'm going to assume he'll just cross, and hope he follows my assumption. 

I had a very nice visit with Lea yesterday.  It was fun, we haven't seen each other in a while.  I can't wait until we live closer and can go riding together more often.

Other than that my trip to Spokane was a bust.  I went up with John because he had to work and I thought I could go birthday shopping, but it turned out we couldn't afford it.  I had my heart set on a day of shopping for horse stuff.  :(  I wouldn't have bought much anyway but I love to look.  I'm so dang picky (and cheap) that I might look for months before I buy anything.  But I didn't even get to look.  I was pretty bummed.  Eventually we'll get caught up and life will be normal again.  I got my hopes up too soon I guess.

BUT I did get an eZall bathing system from my sister and I can't wait to try it!  I'm not much into bathing horses but with the skin troubles mine have had I think this will definitely come in handy.  I've wanted one for over a year, but as usual couldn't pull the trigger and actually spend the money.  She also got me a sheepskin saddle seat cover at the tack swap (that I had been too cheap to buy) and I tried that today.  It was nice and soft.  :)  My parents gave me some birthday money, too late to use on my "shopping" trip to Spokane, but next time I go up there I'm going to go to Tandy Leather and get some leatherworking tools.  I'd like to try my hand at making some tack.  I might make some saddlebags to match my good saddle (after a lot of practice) and a headstall.  I'm sure I'll come up with some other ideas as I go along.  What fun!

Wish me luck on our big trail ride tomorrow.  I'll let you know how it goes.  ;)

I'm starting to get back into the groove with the horses.  Tonka is going to be a pasture puff for a while yet.  I still am having a hard time deciding which of the other two to put more of my time into.  Theoretically I should be able to ride them both, but realistically that never seems to happen.

It's hard for me to choose Scout, and I think I finally realized why.  Or maybe I always knew why and I just remembered again.  Anyway, it's because he's dull and lazy.  I'm used to riding Tonka, who is so incredibly responsive and very, very willing.  I barely have to ask and he's trying to do the right thing.  Whereas Scout is not near as reactive (which is very nice, don't get me wrong) but just not a very responsive ride.  He does what you ask, and he is a good boy, but he's just not Tonka.  He's great for travelling down the trail, but he doesn't want to be an arena horse.  He will, but it's not his dream job.

Speaking of Scout not being reactive...  Yesterday while I was riding him Blue ran through some electric tape fence that was laying on the ground (I'd laid it down so we could ride through to the adjacent field).  Of course it caught on Blue's legs and moved with him.  Scout kind of spooked, but I spooked much more.  If I'd been on Tonka I would have been on the ground, most likely.  Scout is a good boy.

Anyway, I keep agonizing over which horse to ride - Bella or Scout - but I really do know that the answer is Scout.  I need to get him dependable for John.  Bella is already 7 years old, she can wait a bit longer I guess.  Which is why I rode Scout again today.  I took him to my sister's and we played around.  I'd forgotten she's been setting up a kind of obstacle course at her house.  It was fun to play with.  Initially Scout was worried about the big tractor tires but he got over that.  The big green Parelli ball didn't bother him a bit, even when I dribbled it against his side and set it in his saddle.  She has a great big tire filled with gravel and Scout couldn't wait to get up on it.  I think Keith did a lot of that sort of thing with him and he remembers it.  This big tire requires kind of a heave to get up there, and he did great the first time but kind of rushed over.  He did it again and was clumsier on his second try.   That's okay though.  As you can see in the previous picture I posted of him, he doesn't have much core strength at the moment.

My sister wanted to ride him and she trotted him around quite a bit.  He decided he might try bucking but he didn't put much into it and she let him know that's not okay.  Eventually he relaxed and quit being resentful of the work.  It really was a lot for him to do today. 

I wish I had pictures, but I didn't have a camera or even my cell phone.  Weird traveling without a phone.  What if I needed help?  Of course I didn't, we got home fine.  Weird how much I depend on my phone, especially considering I really don't use it much.  I just like to know I have it.  And the camera on it is handy.  :)

I did ride Bella yesterday, just briefly.  I got on bareback with the mounting block (I love how short she is) and we played around in the round pen.  I'm not really a very good bareback rider on a maneuverable horse.  I think I'm too tense.  I did fine on old Soxy but she didn't squiggle around much and I trusted her more.  So we just had a short ride and called it good.  She did trot a little and I think she's going to be one of those horses who is really comfy to ride bareback at the trot.

Here's my little herd, just the three mustangs now, grazing while a storm blew in:

So...  I hope I'll have more horse stuff to write about soon.  And hopefully more pictures, especially now that the horses are in their pretty summer coats.  Fat, though...

I actually rode a horse today!  Riding has been totally on the back burner while we get ready to move.  But my sister is talking about going on an overnight riding trip, and I've got to get a horse ready.

I got all three horses out and took them to the round pen and let them mow it.  Then I worked with each of them a little bit.  Tonka was my main focus because I wanted to get an idea about why he bucked the last couple times I saddled him.  After trying a few things I think it's sensitivity to the back cinch, which is common in EPSM horses, but I'm not sure.  It might be that specific saddle.  He still acted boogery when I removed both cinches and walked him with the saddle sitting on his back.  His neck is also out, right behind his poll, and his EPSM is obviously bothering him.  He doesn't move right.  No shocker really, since he's had so much time off and so much to eat.  So for right now I'm going to concentrate on riding one of the other horses.  It should probably be Scout. 

I saddled and rode Scout, and he was a very good boy.  We just did some walk/trot in the round pen.  He was a very good boy.  I didn't do a lot because he is OBESE.  Check it out:

They're on a diet now.  I started locking them in at night after I took that picture.

I'm bummed I'm missing the Reardan Mule Days parade tomorrow.  The Mustang Club is going, and I can't do it.  I wish I could at least be there to watch or help out, but I just can't.  So I'll hope we do it again next year.  Bob and Lea are taking their burros as a pack string.  I'm not sure who else is going.  I hope someone gets pictures!

No real news on the moving front.  We thought we were going to have an offer on our house but it hasn't happened yet.  We have a house picked out in the Spokane area but we're waiting to see what happens.

If you were to look back in time you might see me, a two year old girl, having a conversation. 

Adult: "What's your favorite animal?"
Girl:  "A horse."
Adult, with amusement at such quick certainty: "Why a horse?"
Girl: "Because I can ride it."
Adult, still amused:  "But why not a camel?  People ride camels."
Girl, doubtful:  "Camels are okay too."

And I did eventually ride a camel.  And it was okay.  But not very comfortable.

I spent my childhood dreaming of horses, and riding whenever I could.  Which wasn't often.  I gained no sense of who a horse was, there was no connection, and I was just a passenger.

When I was in my twenties, no longer sitting in the back seat and with a firm grip on the steering wheel of life, I got my first horse.  With her I began an amazing journey that will never end.   And I thought, "What a selfish kid I was!  I just wanted a horse so I could make it carry me around."  Well of course every two year old is selfish.  But recently I realized that wasn't what it was about at all.  Strange that it took me so long to figure this out.

When I was two, I daydreamed of horses, and the dreams made me happy.  Kids can't help but be happy, at two years old.  But I also had nightmares.  The same one, over and over.  The meaning of this was another thing it took me a long time to figure out.  In these dreams my sister and I were left alone in the back seat of a car.  The car would roll out of control, flipping down a mountainside or over a cliff.  I couldn't reach the brake in time, no matter how hard I tried.

I'm not going to get into a big sob story about my childhood, but that was a bad time.  I wanted someone to take control, but they didn't, and I couldn't.  Luckily it wouldn't be much longer before things started to change, but I was a creature of the present and didn't know anything different.

Just a few days ago I realized why I was so positive a horse was my favorite animal at such a young age.  I imagined this big, soft, beautiful, benevolent creature would take care of me.  I didn't need to hold the steering wheel or reach the brake, and he would take me to wondrous places, and we would love each other.  And we were just little, so my sister could ride double.

I don't think I had this idea formed in my mind.  I wasn't thinking of running away.  I wasn't looking for a solution, I was just dreaming.

What I couldn't know at the time was that horses won't help us run away.  As I got farther and farther along the path of the horse, I came closer and closer to home.  I didn't want to leave.  I began working more and more toward the center, not away from it.  I saw that the only way to move forward is to look inward.  I wanted to make this life, this self, better.  I couldn't go through life in a rut, doing the same things all the time and thinking how great I am.  I had to get outside my comfort zone, learn new things, try new things, make mistakes, see how to do better next time.  See that the only way to do better is to be better.  My flaws just keep floating to the surface where I can see them.  I can't lie.  My horses are too honest to let me get away with that.

Does this sound familiar?  I think all true horse people have experienced what horses have to give us, and know how difficult a gift it is to receive. 

So still I journey.  I expect this journey will never end.  But with my horse by my side, we will go to wondrous places.

I took Soxy to her new/old home yesterday.  I was really bummed, but she made me feel better about it when we got there.  She jumped out of the trailer whinnying at her old buddy who was just on the other side of the fence.  She was so happy!  And that made me happy.  And there were kids there who were excited to have their mom's old horse back, even if they didn't remember her.  She'll have plenty of love and attention, horse buddies to pal around with, and kids to ride her, which is everything she needs. We'll miss her of course, but this really is for the best.

In other horse related news, I don't have much.  I've been helping with dental work on horses, which is a lot of fun.  I've met a bunch of neat horses.  There hasn't been one I haven't liked.  :)

I got Tonka out the other day, after not riding for probably 2 weeks, and he had another bucking fit.  I don't know if I mentioned the one he had before the poker ride.  Luckily neither happened while I was in the saddle.  It was clear both times that something was REALLY wrong and he was terrified, and now I'm wondering if it's a pain thing.  So I have some things to fiddle with and see if it makes a change.  I don't like seeing him like this.  He has done this regularly once before, with a saddle that didn't fit.  So I'm thinking it may be saddle fit again.  We'll find out.  I did ride him after he settled back down but only for a few minutes.  It felt great to ride again.  But I didn't want to hurt him if this is a saddle fit problem.

I probably won't have much time for the horses anytime soon, but things are shaping up with the house.  We got it completely cleaned up for photos and it is on the market now.  My neighbor's son is interested.  I'd like to see them buy the place and be able to help out my neighbor as he ages.  He's a nice guy.  But whoever buys it, I hope it sells soon!  We found a place we really like up in Spokane.

I'll share a few house photos just for fun.  I can't believe how clean my son's room is!

I don't know which exterior photo I like better...  Too bad I can't get a shot from head-on, but those lilac bushes get in the way.

It's not a bad little house, as much as I've complained about how small it is.  The property makes it all worth it.  I wish we could get a property like this up in Spokane.  We're going to have to go smaller on acreage for sure, but hopefully get a bigger house in the process.  And I really want trees, and neighbors a little distance away.  What I really want is the place we have our eye on.  I hope nobody else snaps it up first!

Well, all of the pre-hire stuff is done, and John got his official job offer today.  He starts on Monday.  Awesome benefits, great pay, company car, company credit card.  It'll be weird being back in the busy world of a big corporation in a big city.  Well, biggish anyway.  It's a whole different world. 

After he told me about that I realized I need to get my ducks in a row and start arranging things for the horses.  I need to ask around and find out where they can stay if we end up moving out of this place before we move into a new place.  I haven't gotten that one figured out yet, but I did call Soxy's old owner, who is SUPER excited to have her old mare back as soon as possible.  I may not take her out there until Monday.  I have so much to do over the next four days.  But she'd like her sooner if I get time.  I'm really glad she's excited but I'm going to miss the old girl.  Every time I think about it, it makes me cry.  But the silver lining is that at least I get to tell her goodbye when she's still alive and well.  I have to keep looking for the silver lining because it's easy to get a little gloomy.

I keep thinking, "Maybe this is the last time in a long time that I'll drive up the grade out of Lewiston."  "Maybe this is the last time I'll see the sun set so red over Kamiak Butte."  Et cetera.  And the worst of it was when we had Liam's Celebration of Learning tonight with his school crew.  I am REALLY going to miss the safe, thoughtful, caring, GOOD learning environment of his Expeditionary Learning school.  I wish they had something like it to offer up in Spokane.

Enough of that.  I've got fly masks to remove before it gets too dark.  So good night!

Happy Mother's Day!

 Thank goodness a mother's love is unconditional.

  Even when it seems we'll never learn.

Hope all you moms out there had a great day.

Almost twelve years ago we drove all the way from Spokane to Priest River to look at a whippet we saw advertised in the paper.  She needed a new home because their older dog didn't like her.  When we got there they had an extremely high-energy sausage on a leash.  She was fat!  And she was certainly not a whippet.  Well, part whippet I guess.  Eventually I decided she must be part terrier.  We took her home and she became an important part of our lives.  Her name had been Haji, or Hodgy, or something like that, but we gave her a much better one.  India Anna Jones (all of our dogs are Joneses).  She was extremely trainable and would go lie down in her corner when she got too excited about visitors and we said "corner!"  She was really into her toys, one of which was a zebra that whinnied.  I tried to find a replacement for that zebra when it wore out, but the new one only squeaked and she obviously felt cheated.  She taught us a lot about dealing with a young dog that is naughty.  We learned about crate training and feeding meals rather than free-feeding.  She lost that excess weight and became healthier.  She still made huge messes when given the chance and even opened one of Katia's Christmas presents a day early.  She made Liam giggle when he dropped food from his high chair and she gobbled it up.  She was always kind to everyone, and loved snuggling so much we'd joke that she'd climb down our throats if we let her.

Lately she's been in a lot of pain.  Long story short, she had a lovely ride in the truck today, with the windows rolled down and lots of good scents on the air.  She didn't chase the cars as they passed by though, as she always had in her younger days, and she mostly just lay there while we drove.  When we got to the vet she stood up and fell backward, and it hurt pretty bad.  I got her re-settled and she didn't even have to get out of the truck.  She had a good ear rub as she got drowsy, and then she left us.  She was a good dog.  I miss her.  But I also feel really relieved that she's not in pain anymore.  It's like a weight has lifted.  It was time, and she's okay now.

We're moving to Spokane!  John got the job he was after.  Excellent job, with benefits!  I'm really excited about that.  Pretty stressed about getting this place ready for sale though, and about moving my kids.  BUT - a really great job in this economy is something to be very thankful for.

Still haven't gotten to edit pics from our poker ride the other day.  Maybe it will let me post a few anyway.

We've been super busy.  I'm trying to load photos of my big ride today but I didn't make them small yet and it won't let me.  So maybe that'll have to wait for tomorrow.  These are a couple days old:

Riding Bella in the big pasture, all alone - she did great!

John on Scout

My  handsome Tonka

And on another note - if you were house hunting would you choose a new house with limited horse facility (needs buildings & fence) or an old house with plenty of outbuildings but that needs work?  We looked at a place that seemed to have a lot of history (built in 1910) and i loved it but would need some roofing on some outbuildings and the house isn't much better than our current old homestead.  We'll probably end up somewhere else but this is the photo of the ranch sign at the entrance, which was about where I fell in love:

Diamond B Appaloosa Ranch in Chattaroy - anyone heard of it?

 

 We had another excellent ride tonight.  Tonka did seem cranky and his hind end wasn't working right.  Still don't know if it's saddle issues or EPSM.  But I'll go back to the good saddle, he seems to like it better.  Or maybe alternate between the two.  John rode him again and they did great, although John noticed his cranky expression too.

Bella was AMAZING!  Now that we're moving out around the field, actually going places, she's happy and alert, and I can't see any sign of worry or fear as we wander around.  She does get a little sticky about turns away from Soxy and Scout back in the other pasture, but nothing terrible.  Oddly, she doesn't really care where Tonka is, as long as he's not crowding her.  We could take off in a different direction altogether and she didn't bat an eyelash.  Love that. 

I think I am going to try a different saddle pad with her again, to hold up the front of the saddle a little better.  She's downhill which feels a little weird to me and maybe it puts a lot of weight in the front of the saddle?  I don't know...  But you know how I like to fiddle with things. 

Next it's Scout's turn.  The weather is supposed to be nasty and we're going to be busy, but soon he'll get to come out and play too.

Tonka was so awesome tonight.  He was feeling adventurous and happy.  We'd crest a hill and he'd want to stand there for a while and take in all of the view.  He volunteered to go into areas he's normally scared of.  He was still scared, but he was brave too.  He's been more and more like this lately.  It's fun.

I had also gotten Bella out and saddled her and left her to stand at the trailer while Tonka and I rode.  She just dozed.  I went in to get dinner real quick and asked if John or Katia wanted to come out and ride Tonka while I rode Bella.  Neither of them has spent more than a few minutes riding him, so I wasn't sure how it would go.  He's used to me and a new rider is different.  John came out and rode him and they did great!  I had carrots in my pocket that I'd been sharing with Tonka, and I forgot to give any to John.  When Tonka saw me giving Bella carrots he'd look expectantly at John and then look a little put out when he didn't give him one.  It was really funny.  Tonka can be a very expressive guy.  I secretly slipped John some carrots for Tonka when we were done riding.

Bella did awesome too!  She rode out a little nervously, but quickly calmed down and enjoyed herself.  She still has a hitch in her steering but her stop is good.  When she's walking along and I ask her to change direction she resists, and when she decides to release to the rein it can be a little sudden and jerky.  Same with changes in her rate of going.  It's all mental.  I think she'll get more comfortable with things and it will all get better.  She's already showing improvement.

We didn't do anything special, just wandered around the big pasture, but we had so much fun.  It was great seeing my good horse be good and cute for John too, and not offended at having a new rider.  And I was so proud of Bella.  I think we might start doing this every day we can.

Oh, and I rode in the little synthetic Fabtron saddle and Tonka didn't "leave his hind end behind" at all today.  So I don't know if it's the saddle change or the day of rest he had, or totally unrelated, but maybe his back wasn't sore today?  Or maybe it's not back soreness but EPSM.  I'm really leaning toward a sore loin area though, and I hope this saddle continues to be comfortable for him. 

I'm kind of a sporadic blogger lately...  I guess that means there isn't much going on.  Just riding at home, sometimes not riding at all.  This spring weather makes it hard to get out there sometimes.  But I've ridden Bella two days in a row.  I think starting a routine will be good for her.  I could already see a slight difference tonight, she seemed less detached as I saddled her.  That could have partially been because I had carrots though.  But she's not pushy about carrots, it just kind of brings some life to her eye when she thinks she's going to get one.  She's not mentally or emotionally relaxed about the work.  I hope someday she will be.  I'm not being hard on her or wishy-washy, I think she just needs to realize it's not a bad thing.  Which might not happen until she gets to go out and see new things.  She is a pretty adventurous girl.

Yesterday I cut Tonka's ride short because he seemed like his back was hurting, or maybe he's having EPSM trouble.  If/when I can afford the diesel, I think I might take him up to the saddle maker in Post Falls and try to trade his saddle in.  I don't think it fits anymore, if it ever did.  I can't buy a new one but this one I have is worth enough to get me something decent.  (No, it's not my really nice one, but it is still a pretty nice saddle.)

Tomorrow I think I'll try to ride all three mustangs.  I hope the weather cooperates!

I don't have a photo for today, so I thought I'd share this one that I stole from my sister.  She took it on our evening ride when we were out camping.  I love it. 

But what I really came her to tell you is that we loped!  It was ugly, it wasn't quite right, we had to break it down 3 times and still it wasn't quite right, but we did it!  To be honest, Tonka was ready to do it long before I was.  We've had too many wrecks and I have never had a sound horse to lope on, so I have a lot of anxiety about it.  You can't lie to your horse though, and he knew what was up.  He was offering and I was chickening out and he was getting a little irritated with me. But now that we did it and he didn't fall down and I didn't fall off, I think the next rides will get better and better.  He wasn't the least bit stumbly today so I think he's doing pretty well in terms of his EPSM and  his general fitness level.  I have high hopes that we'll have some awesome rides this year, and do some growing in our abilities too.  Happy day!

I rode Scout tonight and boy was I proud of him.  He was a little spooky at first but settled in and was listening well, if a little distracted.  I tried to keep him busy and not let him stare off at every little thing and eventually he was less like a looky-loo colt and more steady.  Then someone started firing a gun somewhere over the hill.  I tensed, remembering how Scout is now afraid of guns, and then immediately relaxed, thinking he didn't need me telling him that this was actually a scary thing.  He relaxed too!  Mostly.  I gave him a few more things to think about but didn't rush into frantic maneuvers or anything, and soon he had forgotten all about that annoying noise in the distance.  Then the guy started firing fast - it must have been an automatic weapon.  That rattled Scout a little bit but again, he got back to work.  So I was super proud of him, and of me, for keeping it from being scary.  THEN some dingbat in the other direction started revving an engine obnoxiously loudly.  I don't know if I've ever heard one that loud.  Not sure what it was, but it sounded like a motorcycle.  Scout didn't like that either, and was very keen on watching it, but again, we got over it.  Overall a very good ride.  He's a good boy.  Oh, and he's a BIG boy too.  He has officially outgrown Tonka.  I measured him at 15.3 hands tonight.  He still looks like a baby to me though - it's all in the expression.

Yesterday I decided Bella needs a consistent routine, every day at the same time, but I also decided not to start that now.  She's more hormonal today, I could tell from how she's acting in the pasture, so I didn't want to set us up for frustration or failure.  I'll wait until this first spring fever has passed.

Tonka had a couple days off his supplements that keep him working right, so he's had several days off.  He also seemed sore in the loin after our camping trip, so why not give him a break.  But the day before I decided that, he loped for me!  It was an accident, but it felt good.  We were ponying Bella and trotting up the hill and he was feeling competitive.  He wasn't staying at a consistent speed and I was having trouble staying with his movement so I leaned forward and grabbed his mane and squeezed, meaning to ask for a faster trot, and there he went, into a nice lope.  That's a big deal for us.  I can't wait to try it again.  I think that day he was ready.  I don't know how he'll be after time off but soon, very soon...

Anyone want to come ride some horses for me?  I just don't know how I'm going to ride all 3 of them consistently.  And soon I'll be working so I'll have to either find more energy or something...

Bella and I had a little ride tonight.  She wasn't as with-it as last time, and I was kind of disappointed.  She got a little crabby with me a couple times when I was turning her in a specific spot, and she was overly concerned with where Tonka was.  It wasn't until after our ride that I realized she's probably in heat.  Soxy is being a raging hussy so the fact that Bella would show some subtle signs of it isn't really surprising, and it's actually to her credit that she wasn't really "bad" at all, just not mentally or emotionally with me.

She also got a bath and a hoof trim and a thorough spraying with fly spray.  She didn't feel very pampered, since none of those things are her favorite, but she sure looked nice afterward.  And I hope the flies leave her alone for a while.  They're pretty bad now that it's so warm.

This morning Katia and I spent a long time with curry combs, scraping lots of dried mud off of all four horses.  They've never been so dirty in their lives.  They must have found the wettest mud puddle and ground the mud deep into their coats.  Probably for protection from the bugs.  But it looked really awful, and they didn't seem to mind being brushed.  After all, they can always go roll in the mud again.