Welcome to Monday! I hope you had a great weekend. It was sure fun around here. The fish are all settled in and enjoying their new life which is wonderful to watch. Yesterday I mended some clothes by hand (a real traditional Sunday kind of thing to do), and over the weekend I made a big batch of delicious persian rice. I am so grateful my entire Dad’s side of the family is Persian, and introduced me to the amazing world of Persian cooking. I am not that great at it, yet, but practice makes perfect, am I right?

Yesterday the weather was perfect and we made the most of it. Volunteers came and we both Sugar and Donkey got ridden for a little bit. Mr. Donkey actually got the tiniest bit out of breath which is what I wanted for him to increase his fitness level a little. We did get Rhoen all ready for riding, but then she decided everyone else was too far away from her and she wanted to be back with the herd.
I saw a video over the weekend about the Spanish Riding School in Vienna and how they always ride and exercise their horses in groups, which makes so much sense, and what I actually mention in my 7 Step Preride checklist. If you want a copy of my checklist for free, just check out the link here https://www.resqranch.org/7steppreflightchecklist-email

I wish I had made this checklist, and followed it, a year and a half ago with Cesar. I most likely would not have ended up with a concussion and broken arm. We are always still learning I suppose. Guess that’s why we woke up today, because there is still something for us to do, or learn, or share, or else we wouldn’t still be here.

But the very best part of my day yesterday with hands down my little Natalia. I sure love her more every single day it seems, if that's even possible. Well, we have not had any kind of saddle and girth combination that would fit her, so I ordered a new girth and tried it on her with Cesar’s saddle, for the first time. The girth was a little tight, but it worked, so now I have a saddle for her for the first time!

And she was perfectly behaved. Even with the tight girth tugging situation, she was perfectly fine. Then we brought her out into the round pen for a few turns with the new saddle on, just in hand, and she was not bothered one bit. Next I swung up in the saddle and she was still 100% perfectly fine. Then we just led her around the round pen, with me on her, secure in the saddle, and she behaved as if she had done it many times before, and wasn’t bothered or nervous about any of it. She doesn’t have much steering yet. But, just the fact we can now saddle her and I can get on without any anxiety whatsoever is a huge accomplishment, I am so very proud of her! I spent the rest of the evening being sure to tell her what a very good girl she is, and sneak her a few extra carrots.

Now the weekend is done and it’s time to focus back on work. We will have a busy Monday, and I also need to focus on my YouTube channel, staffing shortages, new computer integrations we are doing at the hospital, the power is out in part of the building and I have to handle that, as well as realizing it will be a long week since the high school theater play is this weekend and I always volunteer my time for all of the performances to help support the kids. Good thing I had fun this past weekend it give me the fuel I need to get through this week!

So how about you, did you do something nice for yourself this weekend? I sure hope so. What do you have this morning to be grateful for as this day unfolds? I am grateful for my volunteers, the beautiful weather, that I got to spend time with horses, and cook, and that my family is healthy. I am grateful I woke up today. I am grateful for you, for reading this, and for your support. I hope one of my videos makes a difference in your life. And if you want to join us for our Pet Pictures with Santa, even if you don’t have a pet, and just want to come down and get some hot coco, or a mimosa, sit and laugh with us and Santa, and just have some holiday fun, please be sure to sign up here https://www.resqranch.org/pet-pics-with-santa-signup

​Be kind to YOU today, you deserve it, and make the most of this Monday. Have fun!

​​​​​Check out my YouTube channel for a daily "Good Morning!" from the rescues and lots of free tips and training resources. https://www.youtube.com/@the1drq