So, in preparation for selling our two horse trailer, we have to clean it out and up. This morning I volunteered to clean it out because I’m really good at moving stuff around. I was gung ho about this project until I realized what it entailed, which is major macro and micro management. Macro management first -- I decided that the tack room trailer trip gear needed to go in my writing cabin, and that regular tack stuff needed to go in the tack room, and that miscellaneous stuff needed to go in the kitchen addition.

This was all well and good until I realized that the kitchen addition contained stuff

that needed to go in my writing cabin and tack room, and that my writing cabin contained stuff that needed to go into the kitchen addition and tack room, and that the tack room contained stuff that needed to go into my writing cabin and kitchen addition.

I could after two hours of doing the macro organizing, hunkered down and began working at micro organizing. This would have entailed (for example) setting myself down in any of the above-mentioned areas, and sorting through what was there. For example, I have to go through the veterinary supplies (which are now in my writing cabin) and figure out what we do and do not need to take with us.

I instead deliberated about getting the horses out. I did consider blowing this off because it was (again) extremely windy. Earlier, I’d been sitting at my computer when I heard this loud whoosh. Sure enough the wind had returned. It was again a dull Niagara Falls roar. But then I got to thinking about it. Brushing the horses, cleaning their hooves, checking them out for bumps or abrasions, and providing them with exercise is extremely important, as is just plain interacting with them.

They respond in kind by being fairly cooperative. These days, the most appreciative seems to be Signy, who is still enjoying this change in lifestyle. (She was previously a pastured broodmare).

So I got off my lazy ass, and first rode Siggi and ponied Raudi, and then rode Tinni and ponied Signy. (Hrimmi also came along on the second outing).

Two more days of riding – I’m taking off on Sunday morning for Portland, America. When I return I’ll start working full time on trip preparations. This time, we’re going to have our travel gear in order well before we leave home. We’ll know where stuff is going, be it in the pack saddle bags or elsewhere. The goal is to make Signy’s load as light and as well balanced as possible. This way, she’ll be less likely to get wither sores.

The morning we were (two years ago) to leave Andrea Brodie’s place in Colorado, gear was strewn everywhere. Pete remarked that the area looked like a yard sale. We subsequently used the term yard sale to describe those times in which everything was every which way. This time, we’ll know beforehand where stuff is, where it’s going, and thus load up in an expedient fashion. I’m also going to have Pete show me how to cinch the pack saddle and put up the highline. Quite obviously, we still have a great deal to do. Giddy up.

Next: 116: 4/26/13: Mr. Siggi’s New Saddle