September, already?

Where does the time go?

September is looking to be a busy month for me, so I need to start keeping an eye on my schedule and planning ahead a bit, so I don't miss something and get all stressed out.

I've been having some great rides on ol' Rusty Spurs the past two weeks. I love my new saddle - it fits me so well, I can't quite believe it. I feel solid and secure and the stirrups/fenders are the perfect length. Yeah for short fenders!

Last night was my first lesson in a couple of weeks, due to scheduling issues. I have to admit though, that the past two weeks of just hacking around the fields not only improved my confidence by leaps and bounds, but it has refreshed me mentally as well. I was so sick of riding around the arena going in endless circles. I'm not so good at making arena rides interesting - I'm going to have to work on that for the fall and winter months.

I just have to tell you guys that I have been cantering out in the fields! Now, that isn't a big deal for most of you, but I have been having major confidence issues since I started riding again 3 years ago. I've worked my way up to being confident in the arena - there I can trot poles and little jumps, canter, play around with barrel patterns, etc. but out in the wide open, my nerves got the best of me. Rusty is really reliable when riding out - he doesn't spook and doesn't care about being left behind if the other horses go ahead. One night I even turned him for home when 2 other riders where heading out to the back fields. He didn't get upset at all and just trucked back to the barn. Little things like that really make me happy. He is a good boy most of the time!

He did buck a bit on me last week, but I just slowed him down and got things under control. I even chuckled about it the next day, because Rusty's little buck really isn't scary (well, so far) as he doesn't buck with the intention of getting you off his back, it's more of a little protest. I have been riding with a fly whisk to keep the flies off his face. When I asked him to canter, I wasn't really paying attention and the horse hair part of the whisk sort of got caught under my leg/stirrup. I started fiddling around with it, trying to pull it out and that's when he bucked - so I'm not sure if it was tickling him, or he didn't like me moving around and pulling on stuff...but I survived it and lived to tell the tale!

I've also been getting in lots of trot work and it is nice to feel Rusty moving out and forward. He can get a little sticky in the arena. I'm hoping to keep this up as long as I can throughout the fall so he can improve his fitness and get some good muscle going. I'm now feeling confident enough to start playing around with the trot out int the field - slowing him down and then extending him. We also need to work on headset a bit - he can get his head up a bit too much out there...

I won't be riding again until Thursday - I have some stuff to get done around the house and the other boarder is having her 24 year old mare euthanized late this afternoon. I don't really want to be around and get in the way. It is hard enough to do something like that, let alone have people all over the place. This poor lady is having a hard time letting go of her mare, but I totally understand. The mare got sick last week and the owner was lucky to have a week to think about things and make the right decision for her and the horse. The good news is that the mare had a nice retirement and the lady has another mare that is in foal for the spring. So one life leaves and another will arrive. Life and nature are like that, I guess...

That is what I 've been up to - I just wanted to write out how good I've been feeling about my rides lately. There isn't really anything like riding out in the fields or trails to boost your spirits...