7.5 miles today, took a couple of hours.

I called it heat training although the temp was not real high it felt pretty warm except a few patches of nice breeze.   They are putting in a pipeline next to the dirt road I usually start my ride on.  Pipeline will start 1/2 mile into ride.  Today it was road graders and stuff out there.   They were working a bit north of us, not on the eastbound stretch right next to my normal path but Sadie was good going to that corner.   I turned her south through the long grass rather than staying on the road.   There was no reason to risk possibly getting spooked into the old, downed wire fence right along road.  Sadie was very happy as going south through the long grass meant she could do some snacking. 

Went across the paved road to that field again.  Checked out where I can ride this fall and winter after the wheat is harvested but decided it would be NOT be good to try to between the field edge and the fence around the new subdivision,  on a green horse a high probably of her spooking into the crop.

But I want to get a longer loop going since I'm just riding at home so often so when we got back to the pavement we crossed the irrigation ditch and rode the field east of the ditch and south of the paved road.    That made a good loop and I can be ambitious and lead Sadie on a path through the neighborhood or get brave and ride her but I'll probably lead her the first time. 

L wimped out on meeting in Aurora so I won't get trees and water crossing work tomorrow.  She made a time excuse but meeting in Aurora is a shorter drive for her so I think its really nerves.  I told her no problem on just riding here.   Trying to force her would do me no good,  she'd be nervous which would translate to Lady being a bit spooky and I would not have a calm horse in front of Sadie anyway.   If I can't get hooked up with the endurance rider that is tentative for July 5th or some other endurance folks I'm going to have to either go out with dad if he'll come after I called Razz a spazz, or just go by myself.  I would not be too nervous going to Sharptail alone because it is miles off the highway.   At worst, if Sadie dumped me and bolted and then did not hang at the parking lot she'd probably hang at the fence of some horse places off the dirt road.   

I am determined to get Sadie exposed to trail situations.   She does so awesome trotting and cantering through the rough fields.  She feels so efficient and she does not get winded,  I think she has potential to be good at the endurance and the thought of her potential is a good motivator to get me back into a riding groove; I've gotten pretty lazy the last few years or so.