Sunday, September 25, 2011

For Me, It's Saddle Time

Most people have one thing that makes them relax and rejuvenates them from the daily stresses of life.  For some, it's a place.  For some it's an activity.  For me, it's saddle time. 

Horses are a lot of work to take care of every day, whether you ride or not.  With the demands of a full time job and the chores that come with our homesteader lifestyle, finding time to just have fun can be a challenge.  Most of the big chores have to be done on the weekend and somehow the To Do List always ends with more things than can be accomplished in one weekend.  So you learn to prioritize.  You learn to pick ONE THING that has to happen on any given weekend.  When it's done, you do as many of the other things on the list as time allows.  Having things still left on the list at the end of the weekend just means next weekend's list is already started. 

Yeoldfurt works on Sundays, so that's generally my day for housework.  Domestic drudgery like laundry and scrubbing floors.  Those things that are hardly ever noticed ...unless they're not done.  But I try to accomplish at least one non-housework project every Sunday too.  Today it was riding.  I had not been on my horse since the grandsons were here in July.  It was too hot most of July and August and I have been out of town for two weekends in September already.  But the mornings lately have been downright pleasant and the evenings are starting to get bearable.  So I was up before the sun this morning and was saddled up as soon as it was light outside. 

I was only in the saddle for an hour, only rode in the round pen and the front paddock, but it sure felt good.  When we were done, I let my mare 'mow' the grass in the chicken yard for an hour before I turned her out with the others.  There are four fruit trees that we keep watered in the chicken yard so it's the place we have any grass right now.  My mare enjoyed it. 

That hour I spent in the saddle must have done me good because I've accomplished everything I normally accomplish on Sundays and then some.  The sheets are changed on the bed, the laundry is washed, dried, folded and put away, the bathrooms have been scrubbed and the rugs are washed and hanging outside to dry.  I also made a batch of liquid laundry soap (four months worth) and raked the leaves in one of the four flower beds.  The horse blankets we cleaned up last week are folded and bagged up to be stored until cold weather comes.  Yeoldfurt's dinner is in the oven (slow roasted pork ribs) and I have five pints of homemade split pea soup processing on the stove.  Yeoldfurt won't eat it, but I was cleaning out cupboards and found a pound of dried split peas I needed to use up.  In pint jars, it's just enough for me for supper on a cold winter day with enough left over to take to work for lunch the next day.

So even though I took an hour to just play with my horse this morning, I got a lot accomplished today.  Yup, for me, it's saddle time!

9 comments:

  1. Glad to hear it helped. We all need something from time to time.

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  2. A good ride is always relaxing and motivating. Glad you were able to have one of those days. Good for you!

    I have not been on a horse since we sold ours about 18 years ago. I miss them but even if I had one now I know I would not have the time to properly care for it.

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  3. MDR...
    Hope your day with the family today was just as relaxing and rejuvenating for you and the Mrs. We work hard all week long to provide for our families ...if we don't take the time to enjoy them on the weekend, what's the point?

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  4. Mamma Bear... I'm so glad you're back! Doesn't matter if I'm reading a new post on your blog or seeing a comment you left me on my post, just seeing your name makes me smile!

    Happy HAPPY Dance!

    : )

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  5. Did Gene Autry play through your head all day? Back in the saddle again?

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  6. Riding is so much fun, though I haven't had the opportunity in years. It's great exercise for both horse and rider.

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  7. AKA...
    Actually, it was the old 'Don't Fence Me In' lyrics. LOL

    Southern Belle...
    You have an opportunity if you want one if you're ever up this way. Weather permitting, you can ride my mare if you want.

    : )

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  8. My horse has two wheels and is made of iron. The heat is finally simmering down here in SE Texas so I got in a morning ride, just for fun, not to and from work. Best I've felt in weeks.

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  9. Ken...
    Sounds like a nice horse! I've never owned one of the 'wheeled variety' but made quite a few road trips as a passenger in my younger years. If I ever owned one myself, I think I would need a trike. The only time I ever drove solo was on a Honda 750 and I laid it down at the first stop sign I came to. Driving was fine, shifting was fine ...even down shifting and braking were fine. It was just that when I finally stopped, I had to hold it up with my feet and ...well, I could only touch one toe on one foot to the ground at one time. Short legs. So IF a bike is in my future ...I think it should be the three-wheeled variety! LOL

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