Tuesdays with Texas Chapter Seven ( It Became A Tradition)

So Chapter 6 was a little bit about Tex and a whole lot about me. Not a lot happened for awhile because I was still a walking mess I was unable to get a whole lot done. Everyday I got a little stronger and was able to spend more and more time with Tex. I managed to get in a lot of short rides as that was all I could handle. When I first started trying to ride again I got blisters I'm sure you can imagine where and anything with seams on the pant legs would rub my legs raw....I started riding and well just wearing sweats.....much better, it took about two years for me to get back to normal....well almost normal, I still have issues that have hung in there but you get used to that kind of stuff and just carry on. Along the way Rick And I purchased a really nice 10 acre property, by then I had another horse so we moved everything over to the new place, it was so nice... peaceful and somewhat private ...my kinda place.I was now at a point where I could ride longer and..... better ....no more hanging off the side....trying to figure out why my horse kept trying to put me in the ditch. I have to tell you this. When Tex was still at my Moms and it was some of my first rides we would be going along the side of the road and he would keep going in the ditch....I would keep correcting him and then back in the ditch we would go, it used to make my arm sore just correcting him. I would get so frustrated with that horse and then I clued in....the horse was doing exactly what my body was asking him to, all my weight would fall off to the right side and my left leg would be up against his side( I couldn't feel it) but he sure could so I guess he's thinking stupid woman ....you want to go in the ditch.....the ditch it is. When I finally figured that out and quit being mad at my horse...I was kinda proud ...just a bit... I had trained that horse better than I thought. The good thing that came out of that was I had to make a conscious effort to ride better balanced and along the way managed to learn not to rely so much on my legs. Thanks to Tex being such a good fellow I was able to learn how to ride a different way...he also learnt how to take my cues differently we became a team of sorts and managed to get by quite nicely.
This was our first winter in the new place and I was so excited about going out and getting a Christmas tree. I had to go find old photos so please forgive the not so good pics. To change the subject here a bit,while looking at these pictures I was surprised that I remember all the stuff about Tex but I can't remember whose child is on the horse with me and for the life of me I can't remember what flippin dog that is in the background.

Anyhow back to the tree

My friend Shirley and I went out and cut down  the tree, I have to say it was pretty gruelling...still not super strong, by the time we were done I felt a lot like Gumby but boy was it worth it. Shirley and I got really a beautiful tree. It was quite entertaining on the way back. Shirley was riding my other horse which had belonged to her for a fairly long time..big beautiful Buckskin ( Dandy) Now I never even thought about it when I tied the tree on behind Tex...none of us had done this before....it never occurred to me that it might rile anybody up. Tex was good.... his usual laid back self took right off through all that deep snow and never batted an eye....you'd think it was old school to him.  We hadn't gone far when I could hear a big rukus behind me....there's Shirley doing everything she knows how to keep that horse on the ground. I had no idea what his problem was. She finally gets him calmed down and away we go again....no sooner do we get moving and Dandy's thrashing around and being a total jerk. We finally clue in .....he was terrified of that tree moving through the snow....he 'd damn near stand on it as long as it wasn't moving....but as soon as Tex would start pulling he was air born.....must have thought it was some giant green fire breathing horse eating monster. Now I gotta tell ya I thought it was amusing....however Shirley not so much. Here I was sitting on this perfect little gentleman laughing my face off and Shirley was doing everything she could just to stay on......(I get why she got a little crabby )( Not Shirley from Ride A Good Horse the other one) Anyhow as long as she stayed well back, the rest of the ride home was uneventful. For me the experience was great Tex was such a good boy, he stood while we chopped down the tree...he stayed patient while I tied it and then tried to get on with the rope going every which way. He dragged that tree home like it was a toothpick...it was a fair sized tree. He proved to me once again that he would do whatever task was asked of him. So Christmas tree fetching became a bit of a tradition after that. Tex dragged home many more trees over the years ...it is something I really miss being able to do with him....but I'll betcha if I asked he'd still try.