As a species, we human beings have never been very patient. Apparently, it’s not in our DNA. We know what it is, but we don’t work on cultivating it. This is because there are so many of us, all wanting the same things – food, shelter, immediate gratification.

Our degree of patience has been on the decline, I think, because of technological advances, most of which lead to immediate gratification. The gas pump is a good example. They work far faster than they used to. Few these days would stand for long at the pumps of old without pulling out their hair. The faster pumps were created to reduce time standing in line. The same holds true for cash

April was tyra's turn to take first place in agility

registers. Used to be that clerks rang up costs on cash registers and then counted out the change. Now, everything is scanned – and it’s quite fast compared to the way it used to be.

I want it and I want it now. This is now the common refrain. This refrain has permeated our entire being.

Me, I am starting to see the benefits of being patient. I think that I may have asked too much of Raudi too soon. Not so Tyra and Hrimmi. Last night I rode Hrimmi and ponied Raudi. Coming up the road she did a beautiful tolt. Then I rode Tyra who for the first time ever, trotted quite a ways.

I have always been of the mind that both would move faster when they were ready and when I was ready. And so it came to be. I have done a lot of work on the ground with them both, and this past winter I took them both for long walks. We did agility and carrot stretches. I rode some, but not a lot. And come to think of it, last summer we did not push them really hard when trekking. We also got in mostly walking miles.

Too many people are asking their horses for too much, too early in life. This is because they lack patience. Ultimately, they pay the price with sore backs and lameness, and also bad horsey attitudes.

Not here. I’m still being patient, starting out this spring with short distances and slowly lengthening them. This isn’t at all difficult for me. It would be if I wasn’t the sort that acts in my animal’s perceived self-interest. I do not see horses at all in being beasts of burden; if I did, they would not be as cooperative as they are now being.

I’ve also been riding Tinni who is doing just fine. All winter, we walked him. Now he’s seemingly enjoying being ridden short distances. And I’m going to keep the distances short because I want him to keep his mojo. So, an aside, is the female equivalent “moja?”

I do need now to start upping the mares’ mileage. I don’t think that any of them would be in good enough shape for the upcoming Competitive Trail Ride – I just took things too slowly this year. This isn’t a big deal at all. I am okay with going slowly. I like to think of myself as being someone who is like the eye of a hurricane.

Next: 121. 5/1/20: These Boots are Made for Walking