Dear Wind:

STOP IT.

Siaga gets a little spooky when it's windy. And today... well, the wind is seriously roaring. You would think that being a horse who's grown up in the woods, he wouldn't spook at fluttering leaves and the sound of the wind whistling through the trees by now... but he does. Seriously.

So I guess I'm going to attempt it still, I mean he's only lightly jittery, not like holy-crap-flip-over-break-your-neck spooky. It's a clear day, all in all, and he'll be getting a good work out in the front yard before hand.

I think I might just do more in the front yard with turning in circles in both directions and figure 8s and straight lines and backing up and stopping and such. Of course, I'm attempting to teach him his stearing and gas and break pedals with the weight of my body, but I'm employing every trick I've taught him. Say I'm turning left, I give a slight pull on the left rein, push the right rein to his neck, and turn to the left and face what I'm wanting to go to, which goes along with leg pressure. ... He's getting there. I can turn him in the general direction, and fine tune it and end up standing right over that leaf I was aiming at. It just takes him a moment to remember that woah means stop. For some reason, he's great with that on lunge or while leading. I mean he instantly slams on the breaks at that word... in the saddle, not so much. So we "one-rein-stop" and stand for a minute before I ask him to move off again.

Anywho.. I was really hoping to actually go on a RIDE and not just pace the front yard, but it's so windy and so the wooded areas are spooky and the road has trees on both sides and sorta acts like a wind tunnel, so that's not exactly a good idea. So I guess today we'll stick to the yard and if it's calmer tomorrow, we might actually go on a real ride.

Also, my new billet came in today. I can't remember if I posted it in the last one, but my nylon one was missing off my saddle, I guess someone took it. So my new one is leather, black, and has pretty decorative stitching. It's going to look just Smashing on my saddle.

On Saturday I'm going around and picking up applications in stores in the Richmond mall and stuff... I need a job to fund this boy! He eats like a pig! And I want (not need) a new bridle for him, preferably a nice black leather western headstall. I've got a brown leather one and a red nylon one. The red one fits him weird and tries to ride into his eyes, which is dangerous, and the brown one just simply doesn't match. lol.