Further Rewards for my Increased Stability

This week has been full of rain down here in the Piedmont of North Carolina.  We’ve gotten about four inches of rain over the last seven days.  I just got to ride once.

Debbie had to go off Wednesday so I did not get my lesson.  I went out to the stable anyway, I wanted to see if Mia was still responding to my increased stability, and I also wanted to take care of her.  I was tired from a dentist appointment on…

Are the Fabrics of our Stretch Breeches Responsible for Today’s Less Than Perfect Riding?

My apologies for missing several weeks of blogs.  I was just too exhausted from riding and something had to give.  I refuse to cut down my riding if the weather is good, so I stopped writing my weekly blog. 

A few weeks ago I went to my “local” tack store and asked the owner to show me the coolest (as in not too warm) riding pants she had since the weather had gotten too hot for my…

My Stubben Siegfried is Fixed, Hurray!  

Last Tuesday I went down to the tack store to pick up my Stubben, all ready to ride with new front billet straps.  It did not take very long for the local tack specialist to replace the billets and it just cost me $87.00 USD.  Now I do not have to worry anymore about a billet strap breaking and I can relax and enjoy riding in my ancient 43 year old saddle.  When I got it home I put on stirrups and stirrup leathers, my sheepskin seat…

Hard Feeling Mouths

I have been thinking a lot about the new challenges Shannon’s Arab-Welsh mare Cider has been presenting me.  I went through my old calendars and I started riding Cider regularly in 2006 until January 2012 when I switched to riding Merlin and Bobby until I could get Cider a saddle that fit her properly since her back had changed.  At the end of those 6 years Cider was super responsive to the bit (Dr. Bristol snaffle), aware that a twitch of my little finger…

Slightly More Security in the Saddle   

Many, many decades ago Piero Santini wrote in one of his books that one reason to wear the knee high boots was that when the leather of the boot was against the leather of the saddle flap the rider’s grip was stronger.  It has been decades since I rode in the high leather boots, but I do look back at them with fondness, and every once in a while I consider getting high boots again but they look so HOT.  With my MS anything that makes me…