Posting an Extended Trot

It's almost like exercising yourself.  Really!  Only your horse is the one with most of the movement.  You're standing in the stirrups, legs taught, knees flexing, thighs moving up and down up and down.  Your stomach muscles must be tight.  There's just no other way to do it.  Your back muscles are in gear as well because there is no way you can slouch through this.  It's just good exercise for you both.  We did this for so long, so far, that I'm sure we'll both be sore tomorrow.  For me it will be almost every muscle.  For him, he'll probably just be a little tired.  Neither of us is "legged up" as they call it in the horse world.  It means fit.  It means strong lungs and strong muscles.  It means you can post an extended trot for along period and it would seem as if you were  just walking.  It means  you don't take deep breaths every few feet.  It means it just feels good.  It feels like someone who has jogged 5 miles.  I can walk 4 but I don't jog any.  Once we get fit, we can make that 2 hour ride into a 1 hour ride, or we can take a longer ride.
Truthfully, we like that ambling gait just as well.  It's peaceful, quiet, relaxing.  While we know we will live longer being fit, we will work up to it.  In the meantime, we'll just "mosey" down the same trail, taking out time, and enjoying life...on breath at a time.

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I Need A Do Over

"Hope Floats" for the zillionth time, champagne in a large wine glass, home with a roaring fire, Ikey in my lap...only thing missing is my honey to make it a perfect night, and snuggling in bed later.

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Sleeping in

Wow.  It was cold this morning.  Ikey and I decided to sleep in...well, we stayed in bed till 11.  Is that sleeping in.  Got up early and made my smoothie.  Ikey had already gotten up to go out and ended up in his "pink" bed.  Once the smoothie was made I said..."headed back up to bedtime...you coming".  And here he came.  First he needs a rub, a pet, a belly scratch, then he snuggles up under the covers and delivers his heat to me.  Ok, he is not much heat, he's a Chihuahua after all.  But it's the idea.  Me, him, back to bed...that's what it's all about.  No reason to rush to get up.  After all it's 30 degrees and cloudy outside.  Who wants to get out in that.  I checked out some new blog sites and reviewed all my regular stuff.  Wish I'd had a movie to watch.  Maybe next time.  But overall, I had a good and productive day.  Grill cheese for lunch, long ride on the pony, paid my taxes, then cleaned up all the leaves in my yard.  I wore my new pink North Face shirt along w/ my rose "wild rag" that my honey gave me.  With my bosenberry vest on top...I was pretty colorful.  Also wore my new fleece lined tights to ride in and they were the most fabulous thing.  Tonight I lit my fireplace because it is still cold outside.  I actually cooked dinner...Panko covered pork chops, butter noodles, and brocoliflower.  Top it off with some champagne, "Hope Floats",  to end a super day.

Back in the Saddle Again

Truthfully, do you understand how good it feels to be in your saddle on your horse? Someone elses horse is one thing. Someone elses saddle is all together different. I purchased this saddle about 10 years ago and have never regretted it. It's light, it sits my ass down low, and it just feels good. These saddles have a great re-sale value too. This saddle is worth close to what it cost. But I wouldn't sell it. Nope, not in a million years. Well, maybe in a million years if the price was right. There is just something about the comfort of your own saddle though and everybody feels it. Your saddle is just right for you. It's comfortable, relaxing and settles in to your horses back. Even my horses like this saddle. It doesn't weigh as much as most saddles because it is minus the tree inside the saddle, which makes it weigh a lot less than most saddle. This works in the horses advantage. Since there is no tree, it also makes the saddle much more flexible and it tends to move with the horse. Nothing pinches him. He likes that. I like that. I want him to be comfortable and relaxed. If horses are not comfortable, they will fidgit, wring their tails, or throw their head. It's aggrivating. Plus, it's just more comfortable for me to ride him when he's quiet. I know what he's going to do, pretty much when he's going to do it. I can just feel it, or see it coming. He's a pretty quiet guy and has not had issues with the cold or the wind lately. I like that. I am so grateful when he just plods along in his lazy attitude and never misses a beat. That makes it so easy on me. I like quiet, comfortable, easy going horses, and Mosey is one. So truthfully, I am looking forward to a long weekend with hours in my saddle on my horse. The end!

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Home Sweet Home

Absolutely nothing like sleeping in your own bed. I finally did so last night after two weeks of sleeping in someone else's bed, or several! My sheets are just the best, soft and smooth. LOVE them. I have two sets now. I could not stand to wait a week till they were changed again. I like the room to be cold when I sleep too. So only at my house do I truly get to regulate the temperature like I want to. I like the window open with the cold night air blowing in. I like the fan on to keep the air circulating. Whether I sleep in my "night clothes" or my "birthday suit' depends on the temperature and my mood. Sometimes that changes during the night. Ikey and I have sort of a ritual when we hit the sack. He gets in first and then as I get in, he circles around on top of me till he is on my chest. Then I rub him and talk to him until he gets sleepy eyed. He will roll over on his back and let me rub his belly until his eyes roll back in his head a bit. We become one. He likes to snuggle down deep into the covers and keep warm. He also likes to "spoon". The fact that he is only about 15-18" long means he doesn't cover a lot of "territory", however, it is welcomed. He makes those ever present circles like dogs do, then hunkers down and stays pretty still for most of the night. He will accommodate me when I move and vice versa. We are good sleeping partners. We are just good buddies. He always rejoyces when I get home, runs to meet me, wiggles to get into my arms. Then we hug and kiss a bit and he runs out the door as fast as he can. He's just the best. He makes coming home a joy. It takes a while to make a house a home. But truly, where ever there is love, and companionship, a home is. Coming home...ahhh!

Now that they all showed up...everyone except him?

The kids are here. Their kid is here. All is good. The fire is still crackling and Willie is on the radio. Have you taken a sniff of the air outside? It smells of the mountains and cold weather. Finally the weather feels like Christmas, cold and a light wind. There have been many years we had to have the air conditioner on in order too light the fireplace. But we didn't care...it's south Texas. At Christmas you just need a fire. We've had dinner, now we waiting on Santa and then we'll have dessert. So pull up a chair, enjoy the fire, watch the unwrapping, and one more time Santa comes.

Finally...it's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas

The weather has finally gotten a nip in the air. The wind is howling in the trees outside. The fire in the fireplace is crackling. Christmas carols are in the distance. Presents are under the tree and the stockings are hung. My niece has been cooking in the kitchen all day....amazing stuff. The best being some stuffed jalapenos with who knows what inside them. Then they are wrapped in bacon. Oh, my. She made dips and sauces and veggies and more. So now bring on the people. While oddly enough we had a house full of folks earlier in the day and my sister got a nose bleed. I'm not talking about any ole nosebleed, I'm talking one that would not stop. She finally ended up in the emergency room and things have finally returned somewhat to normal. She is on the way here, to our cabin in Wimberley with my brother n law and things should start to bustle again pretty soon. My other niece will be here soon as well. My kids are coming tomorrow but until then I will celebrate with the rest of them. We are excited to be in this place together and Christmas will come and go, no matter what. Blessings and Christmas eve gift from our family to yours.

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