# Dixie



## dogpatch (Dec 26, 2017)

Hi Folks,

I've taken about a year off riding and participating here, to decide whether to acknowledge my seven plus decades and be old, or shake off the cobwebs and push back against the subtle addiction to 
allowing one's self to petrify. I'm not sure how this is going to play out.

Anyway, Dixie has also been idle, and all that hard work I've done with her has undoubtedly been set back. My thought is to give us three months of ground work - that's for BOTH of us - to work out the kinks and retake some of the ground we've lost before actually swinging a leg over.

We'll start this morning. The weather's been very unsettled this spring, but shows signs of calming down. Trying to be consistent is hard, but we all face that challenge when making progress with horses.


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## Dancing Arab (10 mo ago)

That's a beautiful photo! Excited to follow your journal


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## dogpatch (Dec 26, 2017)

Thank you Dancing Arab! We're picking up the thread where I left off a year or so ago.

Today was very cool. She actually seemed to like the idea of doing something together today, after being a pasture potato for a year. She remembered all the exercises and did them cheerfully. We both need to recover our fitness!  She will be 20 this year. I've celebrated my 21st birthday 50 times! LOL!


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## My Salty Pony (Jan 1, 2022)

I agree very Pretty picture, I love how all that fern is growing on the tree trunks, what part of the States do you live in to have such things as fern growing on the trees? I bet the trail riding there is relaxing and pretty. 
Dixie looks to be a sweet lady and ready to get moving with her mama ")


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## dogpatch (Dec 26, 2017)

My Salty Pony said:


> I agree very Pretty picture, I love how all that fern is growing on the tree trunks, what part of the States do you live in to have such things as fern growing on the trees? I bet the trail riding there is relaxing and pretty.
> Dixie looks to be a sweet lady and ready to get moving with her mama ")


We are in the Pacific Northwest, where it's mild (usually) and rainy (usually). I remember when I first moved here I was boggled to see ferns growing in trees! 

I am just an "urban" trail rider anymore and stick to this park with its beautiful, well developed horse trails. They can be very busy at times, But in the off season it's especially pretty and quiet.

Dixie really is a sweet girl and quite brave. I've had her for a little over three years now. She is a Tennessee Walker with a strong tendency to pace, which we've learned to shape into a flat walk together. It takes a lot of strength for her to do this, so our year off was a setback in that respect. But today when we worked on the lunge line, she remembered perfectly and greatly exceeded my expectations! So we are off to a wonderful re-start.


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