Taking a leaf out of Funder’s post about the new Blogger word verification on comments (I have 20/20 vision and I can’t read the darn things) and turned it off.  However, since I’m not all that fond of Russian spammers, I have turned on comment moderation.  I’m typically have computer access all day/every day, so comments should be approved and posted pretty quickly.

Just playing around with the design again…new header, for one.  The font’s called “Bleeding Cowboy” from dafont.com. 

The other change I’ve made is to the format of comments: I’m now able to reply directly to specific comments.  Those that have commented in the past week have probably noticed this.  I’m making a concerted effort to be better at replies these days, and it’s made all the easier by being able to reply to each comment separately. 

So I decided that since I’ve started putting a lot more thought into writing down ride stories, I’d make a place to colelctively share them, as well as my training logs and, dare I say it, exploits on the trail towards our first 50.

To start off, we’ve been distance riding for about 6 years now, NATRC for 5, AERC for 2. Only done LDs so far, and Novice and Competitive Pleasure level in NATRC. This year, the goal has been a 50, but it’s been a comedy of errors in trying to get to one. I’ve had to scratch out of both rides I was signed up for, both rather last minute.

The short version of the story: bite on the back, right where the saddle goes, from the (former) pasture-mate, the night before Land of the Sun. Next ride: McDowell Mtn. Saddle issues. The BBH (Bastardized Big Horn) I’ve been riding in all of a sudden started to not work. This is my former gaming saddle I sawed the horn off, changed the stirrups, added new breastcollar rings, a crupper bar, and in general made in look like a distance saddle.

Now we’re looking ahead to July, for the Devil Dog endurance ride, where hopefully Dad and his young (well, 8 yr old…but sometimes still young mentally) Shagya Arabian gelding Beamer will be joining us on our quest for a 50!