WOW! Summer  has come and gone since I last updated my site!  It's been busy, that's for sure.  Especially August. . . not sure how it happened, but I did a bit of traveling.  Went to the Warren Dunes State Park  in Michigan. . . A day at the beach was JUST what I had been needing. A chance to unwind and wash away the stresses of life.  I had houseguests for the weekend of the 17th, which was interesting.  Fun for sure. . . we had a poker party and cooked smores over a campfire. 

 And in amongst the social life . . . I am getting some riding time in on my beloved Lando. . . He's such a cookie.  Sweet and ya just never get enough. . . I've got a new saddle for him. . . well, it's an OLD saddle, that I've had for YEARS. 

This saddle has been collecting barn dirt and grime for at LEAST 6 years.  We hadn't used it b/c it didn't fit our mare. . . she was really short in the back and it disagreed with her.  So it got set up on a rack and forgotten about.  HOW I could forget about a Big Horn saddle, I don't know. . . but it happened.  Maybe because I was riding my arab at the time. . .  that saddle CERTAINLY didn't fit HIM.  Anyways. . . we moved two years ago, and the saddle  came with.  I had decided to use the saddle as a bar stool. . . but then the lightbulb came on! MAYBE it will fit my gelding.  I've ridden him in it 2 or 3 times, and it seems that it will work out for us! But all that dirt and grime!  I'll admit. . . I've never been the best at cleaning tack. . . but I tackled the task of cleaning this saddle with determination. . . and armed with a toothbrush to get all the nooks and crannies of that amazingly detailed, hand tooled design. The difference is AMAZING! It went from dry, dirty and dingey. . . to squeeky clean and glowing. . . I will have to upload my before and after pics for comparison!