Back Where I Always Belonged

*Arizona Winter Camp Sunset*

This has been one of those "Bow your head grit your teeth and ride into the wind" deals for sure. I stepped out to make some big changes more than two years ago. Every time I got close or seemed to make significant progress__WHAP! I'd get smacked.

More than once I came close up to quittin the deal. But I didn't...

Met Cora in the summer of 2015. She was just a long 3 then.

*2015*

*Thanksgiving 2016*

Things come apart and I figured late last winter that I'd lost her... the gelding, Cody Jack did get lost to me... and that still cuts.

When you keep even the tiniest spark of Hope alive, sometimes things will find a way to work out a little.

Somehow, just in the nick of time Cora found her way back to me just before thanksgiving... or I found my way back to her.

In the intervening year, she got a little tubby...  and she's winter shaggy...

I chose to have a guy I found restart her for me... she had some issues that had developed when she was gone. After all the ordeals...I had decided my head wasn't in the "right" place to do those things my self and be fair to her. I felt like she deserved a good and proper chance without all the fool jiggin' around everyone's been doin' with her.

Well he did what I wanted... and she's back now...

With her on the "diet" I put her on in November and a month under saddle with the fella I found that does things the way I would, she's calm again and willing... and some of that soggy belly is working itself off...

Best of all... For ME...

*First ride in TOO long*

I'm finally, after all the struggle and strife... Right back where I've always belonged.

There's quite a bit of work for me to do. I've got some little effort to make to get my feet, my hands and my head all going the same dang direction!

But if she'll give me a little slack to get my crap in one sack, and I put out the effort... It's looking bright! She's one of the better horses I've ever owned... and them that let her slide away from them, will learn I believe to regret their mistakes.

We've had a couple light rides... the weather isn't co-operating again. Into the second day of rain. It's times like this that I sometimes wish I was rich and had a nice big covered arena! :)

But there's no lack of work to do. I buttoned up the last chapter of my latest book; "For My Horses" a few days ago. The editing and book cover work is proceeding leading me to believe an early to mid March Publishing date is pretty doable.

It's not sunny in the desert but it's feeling pretty fair just now.

- Brian