Almost caught up now.

Thursday - I drove to Durango, met with my archeology group, and then drove down to Farmington, New Mexico to look at petroglyphs. It was awesome, as usual, and I had a great time climbing around and finding incredible designs. I love this stuff!

On the second picture, look at the petroglyph on the rock, and then see the highway below. These petroglyphs are right off the highway . . . and I climbed up in order to see them!

Friday - I drove to Durango again to help Cadence set up for the tack show, which is one of our fund raisers.

Saturday - Back to Durango again to work at the tack sale. Of course, before it started, I had to look at all the stuff, and I ended up buying a used headstall . . . with kind of buck-stitching on it. . . and I also bought a very soft leather hackamore. Jennifer, from the horse ranch, stopped by as I was riding the Cadence equisizer . . . the fake horse! She caught me holding the reins too high again! Oh, well, I'm learning . . . slowly but surely!

Tuesday from awhile back . . .

Ok, I'm still behind (sorry), so I can't remember all the details here . . .

I brushed Linda to keep Aslan company while Aslan's pal Mud was working. Aslan let me brush him a bit, too. Linda and Aslan are both "green" horses . . . they haven't been handled much.

Later, I learned to lunge using a pony.

The following day I brushed Chespa, another even greener horse, while her friend was working. She was so upset about wanting to be with her friend that she was totally distracted and a little rowdy. I had a hard time handling her. I confessed later to Jennifer and now she wants someone else to work on Chespa. The interesting thing, though, was while she was acting up . . . I was scared . . . but, I didn't think I should be . . . so, I consciously "pushed down" the fear. It's something I've never done before . . . a good experience. When I told Jennifer about it, she said I should pay her a million dollars for that. I agreed and started bowing at her feet!

Later on, Jennifer had me riding English . . . with Molly lunging me. I was terrified! I'm comfortable and feel secure riding bareback . . . riding Western isn't too bad . . . but, riding English just feels so vulnerable! Molly said it was okay if I wanted to trot (because I trotted when I was bareback), but I was too scared to trot in an English saddle! Scary!

Monday at the ranch

[Note: I'm still behind . . . this is a couple weeks ago . . . or more . . . ]

Today, we just moved horses. We picked some up across the street, brought 'em back, and put them in with other horses. There were four of us there, and it took all of us. One person had to work the gate, and the others either leading the horses and enticing them to go the way we needed them to go.

We separated the two that had been together across the street, and neither one of them were happy about leaving their best friend. We had taken one of them out, and the other one was just pacing around. We had to make sure that she didn't jump the fence in order to get back to her friend. Jennifer said that it's rough when you're breeding them to be jumpers!

Jennifer mentioned that if I could come more often, then she would assign me a "project horse." It wouldn't be a horse that I could ride, it would be one that needs a lot of beginning work. I told her that living in Mancos . . . about forty-five miles away . . . made it a little difficult, and that I was looking for a place in Durango. She said that Alicia, the woman who works for her, just moved out of a house her brother owns, and that it might be available! She said she had to check with her brother to see if he has anyone moving in. Wow! That would be awesome! Whatever is meant to be!

Friday at the ranch

NOTE: I'm way behind and I apologize. I'll catch up as quick as I can . . . but I don't know how long it will take! Sorry!

Friday at the ranch.

First, Jennifer wanted me to lunge Bo . . . Alicia, her helper, handed me a whip and they sent me to the jumping arena. I thought they were going to follow me out there . . . but, no, I was on my own. I've never lunged a horse before! But, I knew the concept, and it is kind of like I was doing in ARizona, except for a longer rope. Luckily, Bo, the horse, knew exactly what to do! So, we did it! Not too badly either!

Shortly, Molly arrived. Then, she got up on Bo, and I kind of lunged him. Actually, she was trying to guide him without using the reins and I was just there for back up . . . still holding the long rope. Then, I got on Bo, and she lunged him. Jennifer was watching the whole time and giving us suggestions. At one point she said I was being a passenger instead of a rider . . . which is what I should have been. It's a whole new way of riding, and I've been trying to do it since I got back into horses, but it's more difficult than you think.

Then, Molly got on Marvin, and I got on Katrina, and I can't remember who Jennifer was on, and Alicia was walking Cosmic. We went on a mini-trail ride. Again, the idea was to guide the horse using minimal reins. Also, going down hill and keeping the horse in a walk without using the reins. When I tried to stop Katrina, she almost totally ignored the reins! Jennifer showed me that you use the reins like you are milking a cow (which I have done.) Anyway, it was a fun little excursion. Being on the lunge line and our little trail ride . . . I got to ride bareback both times, which is my favorite!