In Which Gwyn is not Forgotten

 With all of the excitement of Leche, Gwyn has not been abandoned in the slightest. 

I signed up for a paint and sip class and brought Gwyn's Sweet Sixteen Photo shoot picture with me to use. I'm SO pleased with the result. I took a few progress photos while I painted. I want to go again! My coworker was supposed to go with me but she bailed due to a migraine so I went solo. Highly recommend if they have them in your area.

The kids have been joining me quite frequently on my barn trips. Hazel comes to play with Riley, and will really only into the barn if Riley isn't available. Kaylee will come too and usually wants to ride when she does.

Gwyn is always sweet to them. She gets pampered when they are around.

Though this is the face of a horse who KNOWS I have cookies in my pocket.

One night I went out and she was just COVERED in shavings. Girlfriend had been napping in her stall right before I got there.

She got prettified before I got on. 

I didn't need another dressage whip, but I needed THIS dressage whip, IYKYK

Here we are sharing an apple.

Kaylee is grooming. She did get on and Gwyn proceeded to be NAUGHTY (for Gwyn) and ignore Kaylee on board.  We quickly revised the plan and I got on. This was right before my lesson and it was good to have her in the 'naughty' frame of mind to work with that with Chriss.

She's been wearing reindeer antlers all month because I am Like That.

This night she decided that she was a harlot and despite squealing at Finn, backed her butt up right into his face and let him lick her.

This gelding is sweet as can be and just wanted to lick her. Nothing more.

This was my solstice ride on the 21st. I wore my light up skirt and we had a lovely ride.

And lesson on Christmas Eve Eve. Gwyn was great. I'm really focusing now on fixing me so that I don't mess up baby when the time comes to back her. So we're really focusing on my straightness, which, to no one's surprise, still helps Gwyn. I've gotten so much better and just remembering to keep my left hand forward fixes a lot of things. I'm starting to focus on some subtle changes and Gwyn is responding so well to them. I feel like I've become a much better rider in the past year and and a half and it's a great mindset to be in when you're in a reflections kind of mood at year end.

Even though we only walked during the lesson, Gwyn needed a sun nap. She looks so blissful here.

Road Trip Planning

Things are getting real! My friend Cheri has purchased her flights to come to Michigan and drive with me out west. The dates are settled. It's now time to figure out where we're stopping each night.

The trip is about 2400 miles total and I'm dividing that over 5 days of about 470 miles each day give or take.

First Leg - Dryden, MI to Madison, WI area

https://www.blackforeststables.com/Default.aspx   485 miles
Black Forest Farm, LLC
2132 County Rd F  Barneveld, WI  53507
Ph: 608-437-4905
or

Showtime Arena, LLC, Pamela Bound                            3845 Oak Park Road Deerfield, WI  53531 Tel:  608-764-5555 or cell 608-692-5050

Second Leg:  Madison WI to Mitchell, SD  453 miles

Hobby Horse Overnight Stables 815 West Spruce Street Mitchell, SD  57301 Tel:  605-995-1581 Web Site:  http://www.hobbyhorseovernightstables.com/

Third Leg: Mitchell SD to Sheridan WY  512 miles

W/D Hossienda
www.horsemotel.com/Wyoming.html#wdh
183 Upper Road
Sheridan, WY 82801
Tel: 307-752-2468 or 4202

Fourth Leg: Sheridan WY to Superior/Missoula MT 547/484 miles

Rugg's River Ranch, Ray or Kip Rugg                         10697 Southside Road Superior, MT  59872 Tel:  Primary - 406-822-2062; then 406-822-2061 or 406-822-4240 http://www.ruggsoutfitting.com

Or to Missoula MT and the Big Sky Horse Park

Final Leg: Superior/Missoula, MT to Duvall WA (hopefully) 408/485 miles

I've got a soft landing spot for both Gwyn and Saffron. I haven't found a place to board yet and I plan on putting that off until I'm in the area. For now I'm focusing on trimming this trip and preparing the house and property to be put on the market.

I've been struggling focusing on any one thing and I'm constantly fighting the urge to curl up every day and just watching how to draw videos from Pub Draw. Gwyn is  covered in mud and I need to clean my saddle because we're going to a dressage show again on Sunday! This time Kaylee is coming with me and we got permission from the judge to do a leadline intro A test with her. She's excited too.

And so this isn't all words and totally boring content...

Hazel walked Gwyn back to the barn for dinner and Gwyn was VERY well behaved. She's the best horse.

Zebra at the Detroit Zoo last Friday

New baby camel, Tula!

ca 1995 drawings by me

Art I've had forever that I need to finally frame and hang up