Gone So Long I Miss Him

New phone, who dis?

I haven't written much here about Bast in the last few weeks. I'd apologize, but I'm honestly not sorry. The situation with the mare ended up only degrading further, leaving me with one older horse getting beaten on and one younger one who was legitimately dangerous to handle. Oh, and one unmanageable mare I didn't own but wanted to throttle all the same. On top of a lot of personal stresses, it was getting to be a lot to handle. The barn manager decided Bast would move back where he came from, and I stopped going to the barn for awhile.

Did hang out with this lady after we both worked a weekend at Waredaca!

My boys are fine and well cared for without me, a reason I love this barn dearly. The transition of Bast back to his old field went well. And I got to the gym and vacuumed regularly for the first time in months. The break was so needed, but unfortunately it's been very long.

Back to the old WFB tack room. New tackroom layout. Still loving the trones. Still hating that dirty refrigerator.

I dodged back out to the barn to move and arrange my tack room (for the 3rd time this year, not that I'm counting or anything), and snap some conformation photos of the boys. I wanted to try to get photos of them with the small amount of autumn colors that had popped out before I left... for a week.

My gloriously fat and sassy old man. I feel like his expression here is right out of a stud painting from the 1800s.

As we speak, I've been in California for almost a week. I haven't ridden Bast in over 3 weeks. I've only ridden Pig once. Until this "vacation" (I'm here for family stuff, a wedding, work, and to visit with Megan and Kate for, like, 6 hours. In fact, they should be here any minute, so I should go...), I hadn't had a day off in weeks. Life has been hectic and overwhelming to say the least.

Editing a photo job while waiting for the rain to clear so we can drug test. Nothing like working two jobs at once.

It's been lovely to get away and not think about Bast. I made the decision to put his training on hold, and I have no regrets. I think we both needed the mental break. While I threatened multiple times to sell the little bay bastard, I think I'll give him another go when I get back.

For now... I'm off being in a 1920's wedding in Los Angeles.

Apparently distance can make the heart feel fonder. Or maybe just make the brain forget the never ending screaming. Who knows. Either way, I'm beginning to look forward to getting to work with Bast again. He was working in such a lovely place before things fell apart in October. I'd give anything to get that lovely feeling of his back lifting under my seat again, and know he's understanding how to move into the bridle.

Absence makes me miss these two weirdos like crazy. A week is too long without puppy cuddles and paw slaps.

I won't start him directly under saddle in the ring. My plan is to work in him on the line in the round pen for a bit. I want to see if I can teach him to connect with the bridle better with me out of the picture. Teaching on the lunge is not my strong suit, but he hasn't come along as quickly under saddle with that piece as I would have liked. I've done some preliminary work with him, so I am pretty confident I won't be messing him up. If anything, I might help address some of his chronic hind end crookedness and weakness. It's worth a shot.

He's still pretty enough to make a go of it.

Who knows, maybe the 3rd restart is the charm?