Wednesday, January 28, 2015

A Dilemma - My Box of Chocolates

Have you ever received a box of wonderful chocolates and found you didn't know which one to eat first, (second, third, fourth)?

Elvis is my box of chocolates and I'm struggling with which one to eat first.  Some of those bites of candy are richer than others and I must watch my budget (ahhh, such is the life of a 50+)!

Should it be Dressage?  Elvis has an extensive background in Dressage.  If so it would be Western Dressage (and I also find myself interested in Cowboy Dressage).

Should it be sorting cattle?  Not sure I want to pursue this any further.  Every horse I've sorted with became aggressive at home in the pasture towards poor Hank (the dog) and this includes Elvis.  Too many close calls.

Should it be Western Pleasure?  (Bad example above - hard to take pictures of yourself when you are on the horse).

My box of chocolates lived for years in a WP training barn before his former owner decided to turn to Dressage.  Showmanship is an add-on of that experience.  My candy knows much about this world.

Should it be trail riding?  My boy is pretty green at this so I would benefit from a half-bite of that chocolate in finding a partner with a steady horse to go out with.  But my sweet boy is a registered Appaloosa so we could participate in the Chief Joseph Trail Ride.

Maybe it's "just riding".  I miss boarding my candy boy at the barn and hanging with my Cowgirl Pals.  My rides at home are minimal as I don't ride here when I'm alone.  I know I'd ride much more at the barn where there are people around plus I would join the group activities such as Ladies Nights, etc.

But right now my box of chocolates is out in his pasture.  He is covered in mud instead of chocolate. I haven't done much with him for a few months as the days became short, wet, etc.

But days are getting longer and spring is just around the corner.  It's time to figure out which piece of chocolate I should pick first.