Woo hoo! Five days until we leave!!!!

I have been bad about updating this. I am excited about the trip, I am nervous about the trip, and just a bunch of stuff has been going on.

Sunday I was so tired I didn't do a thing except go out and love on everyone a little bit. I don't know what was wrong with me....I felt good except for the feeling of blah. Figured it would not have been good to get in the saddle feeling that out of it.

Monday, we ran errands and got home too late to do anything.

Tuesday I took my lunch late which got me out of work an hour early. The plan was to take a trail ride and relax - I needed it. Then I was going to call Dona and head to her place to practice what we did the week before and work on finessing my cues.

Well.....I got home, the weather is great, I get Tripp saddled before I left (usually I brush and saddle him at my ride site....it is therapy for me) and I could not find my new bitless bridle. I was digging thru the truck, where I keep everything because of the crazy schedules right now, I looked thru the house, which is a cluttered mess, and I even checked the barn even tho I knew I didn't have a reason to take it out there. NO BRIDLE! Now I am in panic mode...I backtrack and realize I took it off him at the arena and put it on a post, then walked him out to unsaddle him, and brought him back in to practice trotting. I was so excited he seemed to have the trot down, that I was focusing on him so much, I walked right by it! That was my middle of the night revelation! Anyways, we loaded up and headed to Sturgeon! I didn't expect to find it but I was hoping....nope, not there. But I know that is where I left it. So needless to say I am sick to my stomach, because this close to the event, I don't have time to change tactics. I was told that Tripp would be fine going into a snaffle bit, that it was ME who wasn't fine. I told her she was right...and since I am not comfortable with it, I can't do it. I will ride in the halter first because that is what we started with. If I had an extra week, I would have gone to the snaffle. But this weekend is our only mustang adoption for the state of Missouri, and we are going to be there. That is not the place I wanted to try and transition him into a bit.

What I will say is I wish I would have watched a Chris Cox show on RFD earlier. It was a May episode (I am very behind....they are there when I get time). He talked about how he used to put the bit on them and let them hang out to get used to it, which is what I did with Tripp and after 3 evenings in a row, I could not handle it any more. In this show Chris mentions that he does it different now.....he puts the bit in and immediately starts flexing. It gives them something else to think about and they get used to it quicker. Great information for next time.

Right now my only worry was getting him to stop. He does alright with me 'sitting' him to a stop, but sometimes I still need to pick up the reins. He had to relearn it from the halter to the bitless, and I know he could have learned this too, but with the short amount of time, I didn't want to accidentally pull on that mouth too much....so yes, it was a 'me' thing.

Anyways, to make a long story longer, I did order another bitless from a U.S. distributor and got it today. I also put up LOST signs in Sturgeon and talked to a few people. I don't really expect to see it again - but I can still hope.

I did end up going for a short trail ride that night I realized the bridle was gone. We both needed it, and enjoyed it. I sat by the lake a while, and he munched grass by the big horse eating rocks.
I used the halter, and he did fine. He did pull away from me a couple times when food was involved, but I got him back. Other than that, he was great. There are some things I love about the halter, and other things I love about the bitless. Now if I can figure out what it is that makes him respond the way he does, I could build something to suit him better. :-) Will do that in my free time....

Tomorrow after several unexpected truck repairs (better now than on the road), we are headed to the mustang adoption in Sedalia. It is supposed to be a rainy weekend...I hope there are adopters out there who are not afraid to get a little wet or muddy.

That is about it....just alot of trying to figure out our trip.

It is hard to believe we are this close. I saw the final number of trainers is down to 132 (unless more have dropped out after I looked at it). I projected 150 to 175 to be there....I was a little off. I wish everyone could have made it. I know 'stuff' just happens sometimes that can't be helped, but it still stinks. Maybe another time, and to those of you who are still going even tho your horse can't be there, stop by to visit Tripp and I!

Gotta go pack for the weekend now.....
Will write again before we head out. :-)

Until later...Karen and Tripp