I’ve been writing at length about Raudi and my moving forward. My early goal was to move forward/make advances in both my horse and professionally-related endeavors. I realized this morning that I’ve lost sight of advancing professionally because Raudi and I are joined at both hips. Her life revolves around mine, and my life revolves around hers. So yes, we have made great strides together (no pun intended), but I have not made great strides alone.

Writing wise, I’m still in a liminal space. University of Alaska Press Acquisitions Editor James Engelhardt has yet another revision of my proposal in hand, but for now he has placed it on the back burners. I continue to drum my fingers

on my desk. We are now going on two years in our correspondences about this matter.

I have finally finished a second proposal, one in which I propose to write “The Equestrian’s Guide to Horse Trekking.” I’m sending it out later today. It will feel good to again to have something in the mail.

I’m also going to put in an application to work at the Mat-Su College Writing Center. This will pay the growing horsey bill and perhaps open a door at the college.

There is also the business of the defining moment that I wrote about in a previous blog. I was at the local horse show, and gave Vickie Talbot some advice as to what she might do about the fact that Hunar had repeatedly failed to pick up his left lead when asked. I told her to look over her shoulder – she did this and much to both our surprise, Hunar did as asked. This got me to thinking that perhaps I should act upon yet another one of my big ideas, which is to get some instructor-related training. So last night I spoke with Pam Nolfe, who lives in Washington, and told her about my possible plan. She said she’d put me in touch with a centered riding instructor in her area. I have now written Kandis Horton about the possibility of my doing a Centered Riding internship in the Washington state area.

All of the above is in keeping in mind that I need to keep searching out doors, push them open, walk through and see what happens.

This is not to say that I’m abandoning dear Raudi. I couldn’t do this, even if I tried. The latest is that we are going to do the Sunday Sindorf Center dressage schooling show. Yesterday Pete printed up the Introductory Level A, B, and C Dressage test patterns. (Dressage arenas have letters on the front, middle, and sides, which riders use as directives.) For example, in introductory Level A, you enter at A, at a rising trot, stop at X, salute the judge, and then proceed at a working trot rising, to C.

So I’m doing an experiment. I’m drawing out the test patterns and will attempt to commit them to memory. We’ll see if this makes things easier. I’m also going to take the time and visualize Raudi and me doing the pattern. If this works, perhaps I can someday assist others in doing the same. I would also like to integrate clicker training into the mix.

I feel like I’m on the verge of great things. I badly want to step up onto the threshold, push the door open, and walk in; of course, with considerable confidence. This of course all goes hand-in-hand with moving forward.

Next: 239. 9/6/14: Spit and Polish