I rode Milo last week on the trail with one of my friends on Middy, and threw a couple of lead changes in when we were loping along. Milo didnt change so well...and I could tell it was from me not being able to switch with seat bone I was on. I could shift my weight to one side or another but not actually the seat bone.

So today I hopped on bareback, since that is my go-to to get to the root of a problem. My what a good ride it was. For the first time in a long time he really lifted his back up and worked. Ive been pretty open about how slack I have been with training this last winter, so its not really either of our fault that we need a little work. So there we were loping along nicely and I came across the diagonal for a lead change. Beautiful lead change each direction - I was able to shift my seatbones.

So what in the heck is the problem when Im in the saddle?! This happens to me a lot - being able to have great rides bareback but I lose my riding finesse when in the saddle. I guess I still have some of those holding patterns from yester-years that I just cant shake. Cant I just compete and do everything bareback and skip this whole dissection of everything that I always end up having to do? Sigh.

Consignment Snag

I absolutely love our local tack consignment shop. I always find great deals, and have made friends with the shop owner, who briefly kept one of her horses stalled next to Milo for the winter. I stopped in to pick up some supplements for Milo (its really nice to have someone close by who keeps Milo's vitamins stocked on the shelf! Good bye shipping cost and delay!), and I just couldnt leave without poking around the shop quickly to see if there was anything I couldnt walk away with. 

There was a beautiful headstall set with conchos and cowhide I LOVED, but it came with crummy reins and because of the "package" the price was reflective....I may contact the shop owner to ask the seller if I might make a deal for just the headstall...

But anyways, I was in the market for a fly sheet as the one I once had I sold due to poor fit, and had just been cruising Schneiders for their sheets. I happened upon this gem tucked away behind the bulky coolers and blankets. Its a Schneiders fly sheet! In Milo's size! In decent condition! For $25! There was no way I was leaving without it. The only thing bad about the sheet is the right side's bottom edging is missing, but the mesh is still strong and looks like it wont fray, so thats mostly just cosmetic. Excellent steal! And it fits Milo, as I knew it would, sstack blankets are the only ones that do fit each and every time. 

All geared up for the bugs starting to bother us! 

Milo's "new" neighbor

About as long as I have kept Milo at his present location you all have probably heard of Middy, the little bay Arabian master whom some of my horse lacking friends have been riding when we go on trial rides.  I had been asking the BO if he could move her down to Milo's barn since my friends and I are the only ones to ever use her anymore (she was the now grown grandkids' horse). Well I don't think due to me but on Tuesday I found she was moved to the stall next to Milo.  Which  I think most everyone is happy about. Middy in fact apparently went right into heat as soon as she sniffed Milo. I'm just happy Milo has a neighbor again and it happens to be a horse he already knows and likes.

I Just Couldn't Take it Anymore

As winter turned into early spring, Milo started losing his hair - in not only the shedding variety, but the rubbing one too. Id been looking at his scraggly mane in disappointment and sadness for weeks, but couldnt bring myself to do anything to it in a delusional hope that somehow the chunks rubbed out would just reappear again. Well, of course, I know my horse and his hair patterns too well to believe that crock for too long, and finally I decided "what the hey" and made the chop. I dont plan on many, if any, shows this summer anyways. We will just call it Milo's new look for Spring 2013.