So What Next?

I was thinking about going to the Scioto ride put on by OAATS next, and then on to Salamonie.  These will be two of the hotter, more humid rides of the season most likely.  Having reflected on it a bit, I believe I'd rather spend the hotter months working on some refinement issues (headset, finding a bit that she is softer and responsive to, working on her lateral movement, and back up all of which are horribly heavy and mechanical and BLAH!).   It may seem kind of stupid to back off just when she's "got it."  However I feel these other things are important to having the overall horse that I have always wanted.  When riding distance is no longer of interest, or I'm unable to do long miles, it would be so nice to have a soft responsive trail horse.  I'm not sure we can fix those areas completely in three months, but we can at least make headway.  In the meantime I'll do a snappy ride maybe once every ten days to keep her somewhat tuned up so we don't have to reinvent condition AGAIN.  Also, financially there are some other areas I'd rather address, like the storage issue in my horse trailer.  I keep putting it off as I spend money on other things.  A few hundred should fix that for me so I'd rather spend it now, to enjoy in the fall.   Hoping to bring her to her next ride in mid September, then a couple in October.   If Journey can do back to backs in September, I may try the deep plunge if I can get someone to ride along for a slow 50 at Spook Run in October.  I'm not going to think any further ahead than that.  So moving forward  I have some stuff to get sorted through before September:

1. Boots!  We need working boots!  
2. Storage.  I've picked out a tall 4 shelf cabinet, and a matching four drawer.  I want my stuff to "live" in the horse trailer so I don't have to pack every time I go somewhere.
3. Tights.  I need one more pair of Evelyn's tights in Appaloosa spots, I don't want much do I?
4. My sleeping cot needs elevated so my little drawer units can slide underneath, or....they may fit on top of the new drawer unit okay.  We'll see.
5. Journey needs a quick, responsive, no argument whoa.  I'm over these one rein screeching sideways stops.  She is a turd in this area.  We are going to fix it.
6. Journey needs a soft back up (related directly to #5).
7. I've never worked with spurs, but I believe I'm going to try it to work on her side passing.  Journey is really dull, where Phebes was like super power steering in all directions.  I want to fix that a little and I think a simple bumper spur might assist her to get the curve (or land me right on my....you know).
8. Build up the strength of her canter, and for myself learn how to get the lead I want when I want it.  Even with lessons I was a 50/50 proposition. 

~ E.G.