All the Pretty Horses

rather, many problems - technical and otherwise. My computer has been unable to dial up for a few weeks now, so I am borrowing my mil's laptop. We think it might be the modem, but don't have the extra bucks to get it fixed. Seeing as how our finances are a bit short right now, I guess it's just as well that Padre needs to stay home and get tuned up rather than be competing.

Padre waiting to run in State show

Our last couple of runs (NBHA LA State Championship and Josey Reunion) were a bit disheartening, especially on the second day of each. On the Friday of each weekend, we made respectable runs - a bit wide on the third turn, but not bad. Then, at the State show his "power steering" completely went out, and he followed the fence out of the arena, nearly running over about five people (camera man, barrel setter, and all the tractor drivers)!!! The following Saturday, at Josey's, I felt it happening again before he even got to the barrel - he hit a gear that he usually reserves for the run home, and I could feel that he hadn't a thought in his mind of turning. I remained calm and rode the way I should have - with soft, guiding hands (as opposed to hard, jerking hands that I'd tried previously, which only served to cause him to stiffen his neck & head and do worse). Unfortunately, either the damage had already been done by my jerking on him in previous runs or he simply was gonna do what he wanted to do regardless of what I did... in any case, he wasn't turning. I did NOT want a repeat of the State show, so I guided him straight to the side fence, stopped him, and loped out. Better to regain control of the situation and get a no time than to risk injury to ourselves or anyone else just for the sake of a time.

So, the following week hubby Jeff finally got a disc over to the house so I could bust up some ground to ride on. I've been on the tractor during the day and at work at night, so the horses have gone unridden and unworked. However, I've been reading and re-reading "Charmayne Jame's on Barrel Racing" and riding in my mind at work - practicing how I'll work Padre and how I'll implement segments of Charmayne Jame's program into my own. That's one good thing about assembly line work - you have plenty of time to think.

Now it's been 2 weeks and 2 days since I last rode and I find it hard to get back in the groove I was in. It's actually been quite enjoyable not working myself into the ground like I was. I've changed my diet to the way it should've been all along (lots of water, fruit & veggies, as well as several small meals a day, including a daily breakfast of cottage cheese & fruit while I read a couple of chapters in the Bible and have a talk with the Lord). I used to think that my stomach just couldn't handle a meal so soon upon waking, but I just had to find the right food to eat for me. I had also slacked off on reading God's word and having daily time with Him, which left me empty inside and a little depressed. But when I begin to read and worship Him, I feel His Spirit overflowing in me and He lifts me up from the darkness and fills that void. Now, I feel better mentally, physically & spiritually.

For now, I have some banana plants and creeping jews to plant by the pond, then if I have enough time before work I will saddle up and begin re-training, preparing for the next "battle" (which, by the way, I am looking forward to a big barrel race on 4th of July weekend... maybe we'll be ready by then).

I'm still hanging on to this (it keeps me grounded) ....
"you can get the horses ready for battle,
but it is the Lord who gives the victory."
Proverbs 21:31

And this is my motivation-
"It's not enough to be good if you have the ability to be better." Alberta Lee Cox