helpful friends - thank you!

Holiday weekend... rode Saturday, off Sunday.

Had some great talks/correspondence with a few people over the weekend. Two discussing the route I was considering; both those friends had excellent observations and suggestions, and while noting parts of it might be challenging if not downright dangerous, they were practical "how-to" talks with the assumption that I could and would do it. Love that kind of support! The other was basically a pep talk from an adventurer who's been kept apprised of this saga since I wrote him about it three years ago. It sure helped put things in perspective, in a really good way. You all know who you are, thank you!

Today I got back in time for a short fun ride in the riverbed with a barn buddy and her son. They were both working on herdbound issues, having each horse trot one at a time a little ways ahead while 2 of us would stay put, getting them to do it without acting up. It was good for Butch because he hates to stand still for more than a few minutes when I'm on him. He pawed, he fidgeted, but he finally settled down. And then when they turned to go home and I kept Butch going toward the bridge, he was excellent! I set him to doing 'pole bending' in & out of the low bushes to get his mind off the departing herd, and it worked like a charm. He enjoyed the job so much that we did it most of the ride home, the end of which was in moonlight. No spooking at shadows, steady as could be.

Also had some email coaching from a knowledgable muleman about high lines, and learned from videos how to tie a prusik loop and a double fisherman's knot. Boy, do I feel like a Girl Scout earning an outdoors badge. Knowledgable muleman, you know who you are, thank you!

I hope to get a chance to try this stuff out soon. And for real... camp out overnight at an actual camping spot with Butch tied between two actual far-apart trees, not in a paddock with a highline between a stall post and a scraggly little mesquite 12 feet away. Not to mention his stallmates next door - need to see how he is overnight alone on a highline. So much to do!