I would ride into the sunset, but we don’t have a sunset here at this time of year. The sun moves in a circle and does not set. It does get dusky, but not dark. I just naturally stay up and out more.

And I get up early, much to Pete’s dismay.

Had a good reason to get up this morning. The sun was shining and I was hot to trot. These days I’m actually looking forward to riding Raudi. For the longest time, in fact many years, I was anxious about riding her because she is very willful. I think that the body awareness work upped my level of confidence and hers as well.

Pete unloading hay

I don’t get out before noon because I do my body awareness work. This is time that I well know could be spent riding, but I am now beginning to think that this, time spent on me, is right now as important as extra miles.

Today I rode 13 plus miles. I walked the first mile, and then Raudi, with me on her, walked the next mile and a half. This, to me is as important as the body work. We both need to be warmed up for the ride that’s ahead.

I tried out my new Camelback. It is like it was made for me. I am really pleased with it. My older one is 20 years old.

It was déjà vu all over again, did the same ride as yesterday, trotted and cantered on Raudi’s Raceway and on Murphy Road. But rather than do our trails we instead came home. Pete, on Hrimmi joined us for a short ride, and then I took off for Grizzly Camp. This did not go over well with any of the animals. Hrimmi, homeward bound, whinnied for Raudi and Raudi was balky all the way to Grizzly Camp. She did pick up speed going up and was rewarded accordingly. She grazed while I ate my lunch.

We kept going up, so as to get in another half mile. Then it was on to the Bench. The ride up was a slog because my pony was tired. But it was a nice ride down, on Pete’s Trail. The trail winds through the trees and right now it is green and lush.

Raudi and I cooled down by walking home around the loop. It was a very companionable walk – I think she was glad that her work day was over.

I was putting tack away when Pete drove into the yard with the truck and the trailer loaded with 86 bales of hay. I breathed a huge sigh of relief in seeing this – lately it’s been cool, overcast, and at times drizzly. It could just as easily have rained, and we would have been up shit creek. We purchased four bales yesterday, from Alaska Mill and Feed – the cost: $22.00 a bale. The hay we just got from John DePriest cost us $11.00 a bale.

Hrimmi banged loudly on the gate as we were unloading the trailer. We gave all the horses some of the goods.

Yes, I am one happy camper, just wish I was doing more camping.

Next: 178. 6/27/18: Ride Like You Stole it