Wants, Wishes and Dreams

While the boys have moved to a different facility (sadly, my BO decided not to renew her lease with her crappy Land Owner), I've only been able to make it out there a total of 3 times since the move.

It's depressing.  But, mostly because life has just been so busy that the horses have been put on the back burner.

Kaylee had swim lessons 2 times a week for a month, and then Joe and I are doing (tonight is our last class) the Dave Ramsey "Financial Peace University" which I highly recommend.  Common sense things to do.  Joe and I still aren't quite on the same page with all of the things he's teaching, but...hopefully he'll get on board.

So, with that in mind, and with Joe and the boys and I going out of town next week (mom and dad are going to keep Kaylee since I can't imagine an infant enjoying the beach very much), I've carved out two times to get to the barn before we go.

I'm going to go out Friday after work and just cram in a quick ride on Strider.  I want to get him out and stretch his legs.  Lately, the rides have been kind of...well...non-productive.  I don't enjoy those types of rides.  I want to saddle up and move out.  So, that's the plan on Friday.

On Sunday, I potentially have someone looking to lease Socks.  That'd be nice for Socks.  He's such a nice boy and I hate him sitting around, but I don't have enough free time anymore to ride 2.  I will in a few years, or when Kaylee is large enough to join me in the saddle, but until then, he needs a rider. 

Right now, if everything shakes out the way I hope, I'll be doing LDs beginning in the fall and almost running straight through until the summer hits again.  So, with that in mind, I've GOT to get Strider out and riding again.

I don't mind turtling, I really REALLY don't.  But it sure would be nice to have a horse under me who, at the end of 25 miles still had some gas in the tank. 

I think our last LD is still haunting me.  There were just SO MANY factors and things that went so awfully wrong, but I sometimes forget that.  But it's why I'm planning on trying it again this fall.  I simply hope to ride the trails and complete this go around.

So, if things work out the way I hope, I'll do 1 ride a month.

The List:
Armadillo in October (Davy Crockett National Forest)
Shuffle Away the Summer in November (Trace Trails in Athens)
River Run at Los Caminos in December (San Antonio)
High Roller in January (Cat Spring)
Racing Stripes in April (Mt. Pleasant)
Spirit of Texas in April (LBJ National Grasslands)

I'm hoping that Shanghai Trails gets posted to the AERC calendar.  I'd like to ride it again.  Yes, it will always hold a very special place in my heart as it was our first ride.  It was in March of last year, so potentially it could happen again.  I sure hope so.  It wasn't that far from home, and the property was very nice to ride!

Looking at the calendar from 2015, I'm hoping that another ride that's close to home gets posted again, which would be a February ride. 

Now, I might have to pick one of the April rides and only do one.  I did Spirit of Texas, but didn't get to see much of the Grasslands, which was disappointing.  But I heard Racing Stripes was a great ride too.  Decisions, decisions!

I'm half-tempted to try and book both, but need to decide a little closer.  There's a cute little "Barn and Breakfast" near the Grasslands I told Joe I could book for us so he could join me.  He could fish during the ride and I could go tear up the trails.  :)  We'll see how that works though.  When we get closer I'll decide.

Right now, all of these are barefoot rides.  I'm just not sold on boots yet.  Do I want a pair?  Of course I do!!  But, with Renegades running about $400 to go all around, and not being in a color I just am DYING to have, I'm good putting off that purchase. 

What I -want- is a lightweight saddle.  And some biothane colored tack.  ;)  I picked up a sponge, so that'll help keep Strider cool on trails.