An antique store find!

I have very active dreams and sometimes my dreams tell me things. Last week I had a dream about chinks and that if I went to a store, I would find some used ones to buy. Every time I go to the tack consignment store I see if there are any that might fit me. Alas, I've never found any that do. Today on my walk break at work, I went by this antique store that has some really cool stuff. Well, it is part antique store, part thrift store, part weird store, but totally awesome!

And look what I found!



At one point I had been measured for and ordered a custom pair, but after taking my deposit I never heard from the guy again (granted, he never cashed my check, either). I didn't follow up because by the time I remembered, so much time had passed that I just let it go. These chinks aren't as fancy as the ones I would have ordered, but they are much sturdier. The leather is thicker so they will hold up very well to my abuse (so far I've put a hole in every pair of chaps I've had when out on the trails!). And at $65 (!!!) I just couldn't pass them up!

On a different note, a friend loaned me her thinner mecate to try with my bosal. I went to a trainer who didn't like my bosal/mecate set up because he thought there should be more room at the heel knot. He suggested maybe I try a thinner mecate to see if that does the trick, so I'm going to try it tomorrow. The bosal I have was a birthday present and custom made and I can't not use it, so I'll try this first.

Now if only I could dream about the winning lottery numbers!

Not a total disaster, but . . .

I've been taking my Bad Dog (tm) Willow for off-leash walks for a little while now. She's got an e-collar that she respects, so I don't actually have to use it, and it gives her a chance to run around and sniff and maybe try to chase something. I thought it would be nice to have some company while trail riding, so I thought I'd give it a go with a short trail ride today.

As I said, it wasn't a total disaster, but it wasn't a relaxing ride, either! I just put on Mac's bareback pad and bitless bridle, since I was planning on a short loop that Willow already knows - it is maybe a 15-20 minute ride, easy-peasy. Usually when I go out there is no traffic on the road that goes by our house.

Of course today there were three cars that drove by. And Willow did not want to get close to Mac, but some sweet talking and some treats got her to me so I could hold her and hold Mac at the same time. We got in through the gate just fine and I was relieved.

I got on Mac and called Willow and off we went. It is a good thing that Mac is so good and nonplussed about things, because I really couldn't give him or my riding much attention. I was constantly calling to Willow to make sure she didn't wander too far, as she didn't want to get too close to us. Mac just marched right along and went with the flow, stopping if I asked him to so that I could look for Willow's long tail in the brush. He didn't really care that she came along with us, so at least that was good.

I don't think Willow really enjoyed it, and I found it anything but relaxing, so I don't know that I'll be doing that again! Perhaps, though, it took away some of her romantic notions of what it means to get out, because she is really happy to be home and in her bed right now!