I'm not an English snob, that's just the only form of riding I've ever done. I would love to try out all kinds of different disciplines, who knows, maybe I'm the best barrel racer ever but just don't know it yet. I know I've only been riding for 4 years and have a lot of time left to try whatever I want, but now that I'm taking lessons at a barn where they offer diversity in their lesson program I'm seeing how much I've missed by having such a narrow focus. Recently I rode a western horse in a bareback pad (hey, might as well do two news things at once) and learned the differences between jogging and trotting and loping and cantering.

I agreed to let the trainer my barn uses to work with the babies set up a one-month boot camp for Miss. He is ponying her, taking her out of the arena down to a creekside area on the property and generally trying to get her more comfortable in different situations as well as working on the canter. My trainer is also riding her several times a week. I can only afford to do this for a month so I hope she stays sound for that long. I figure if she is more versatile and trustworthy it will be easier to find someone to either lease her, or, if I have to give her up, take over financial responsibility for her.

Spring didn't make much of an appearance here in northern California but summer seems to have arrived a little early. Beauty abounds.

Big changes are happening in my personal life and I'm not at all sure I'm making the right decisions, but I'm determined to stick to my guns and be a little selfish for once. I need to cowgirl up for a bit.