Considering my options...

Show season is coming up. Who else is nervous?

I've been doing Hunt Seat for the past three years and I've found that I suck at it. I can walk and trot around in circles and that's about as far as my riding skills go. It doesn't help that I haven't ridden in months and I've lost all my riding muscles. I also can't jump worth a bucket of spit. The tiniest cross rail is a huge challenge to me. Not that I don't love hunter/jumpers, I'm just not good at it.

I've been wanting to switch to dressage for a long time. I think both my horses and I would be better suited for it. But I don't have any dressage equipment, my horses have no experience with it, and I don't know any good trainers. In my area, equestrians are few and far between.

I will find a trainer eventually. ;) If I got good at dressage, I figured my hunter/jumper skills would probably improve. Until then I'll just stick to halter classes and trail riding.

Some things really make you count your blessings.

There's a really old Arabian mare at the barn who isn't doing well at all. She's having problems with laminitis and she can barely walk. But she's alert and has a good appetite. She's actually Mitch's horse, and I was pleasantly surprised to find out that he's been taking good care of her and keeping in touch with the vet. I think it's finally sinking in that horses aren't play toys and once they're dead, they're gone for good. Cynthia is another story, but at least Mitch is starting to see the light. I hope.

Decision time sucks. I hate losing pets. It never gets easier. I'm grateful every day that my horses are strong and healthy. I hope they stay that way for a very long time yet.

I'll never understand people like Cynthia. Horses have comparatively short lifespans anyway, so why would you want to speed up that process? Most people would have their pets live forever if it was possible.