I decided that I’m going to spend more time at home, and so this is what I did today. I got all three horses out. I managed to get somewhat lost twice riding Raudi, then really lost riding Tyra. Now these are trails that I’ve ridden hundreds of times. The problem is that the brush is grown up and matted down, and because I have not ridden lately, the trails are not easily discernable.

I give Raudi a lot of credit. I grew anxious, but she did not. She did not take the initiative to find the trail; rather, she focused on eating. But she also did not get on edge. When, finally, we did get back to Siggi’s trail, I rewarded her and thanked her.

Do horses know when they are being thanked? Absolutely. We emit a nice odor, and our heart rate goes down. The tone of our voice is also a good indicator of what our mood at any given moment might be.

I have a temper, and I know how to use it. And at times I’ve gotten mad at the horses. This has been seldom, and after, I have always been quick to apologize.

I rode Tyra after I rode Raudi, then Hrimmi after I rode Tyra. All three times, at the Murphy Road turnoff, I had to deal with these people who have now parked their camper and vehicle at the trailhead. This is hunting season – I don’t know if they are hunting or are on vacation. They have a kid who ran out in the road, and a dog that did the same. How could people be so stupid as to camp along the roadside in a residential area?

All three times, I kept quiet, which is rare for me. I want to get a button that says Joy. I have been bringing this word to mind in such instances. When Obama was running for president, the word that was key in his campaign was hope. I didn’t buy it because even then I did not believe in hope. As I have said often in these dispatches, I believe that hope is an illusion. Prayer is based on the concept of hope. It is a term that denotes the future, and we really have no say about the future.

But joy, now this word denotes immediacy. It is how one feels in the present moment. The Trump campaign has been one in which the message is about the antithesis of joy, and just how dire everything is.

If we all exude joy, as Kamala Harris is attempting to do, the world will become a better place. I need to do this when dealing with people who are creating a problem for themselves at roadside trail heads.

The child seemed happy. And the dog seemed happy. There is something to be said for this.

A woman named Diane came by the hotel (I was not there) and dropped off five Dr. Suess hats. Her doing this brought me great joy.

Next: 234. 8/28/24: End of Summer, Beginning of Fall