I should've ridden this morning...

...because now it's raining. The meteorologist said it would. Said it would be dry in the morning and raining by noon. It's not that I didn't listen. But I had two buckets of pears, a big bowl of tomatoes, and a small tree full of prunes that must be put up or thrown out. Don't you just hate it when responsibilities horn in on your riding time?

I have been riding regularly; a good thing since my entry for the October 11 league show has been mailed. Third Level Tests 1 and 2, here we come again. I want to be prepared, but I don't want to get so focused on doing well that I drill things and make Russell sore (don't ask me how I know this can happen).

This coming weekend is our last horse-camping trip of the year. Our Christian trail-riding club is trying out a new campground; let's hope the trails aren't too rocky! All our horses are barefoot; Russell because of white line disease and the others because it is just not worth the cost of shoes for the one weekend of riding they'd get.

Russell before the rain started today. After he eats his breakfast, he gets turned out in the arena, since his pasture is out of circulation for the year. (Rick took the fence down and spread manure on it and the empty upper pasture on Sunday.)

Some of those pears turning into pear butter

Maybe I'll be rewarded for my domestic diligence by a dry evening and time to ride....