When you look out the window on a beautiful October morning and while you’re still sad there are no horses in the field down the hill through the trees you are almost relieved you don’t have to walk down through those rocks and dead leaves and limbs to catch up, tack up, load up, and spend the day riding even a 14.3 gaited horse in the show you’re heading out to sit and watch with a good (though non-horsey) friend. 
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This August, for the 1st time in 7yrs, I sat out the County Fair.
Up till then, I’d haul mini to the fairgrounds on Thursday.
Show in classes Friday night, twice on Saturday & Sunday.
Fortunately fairgrounds are very close to home, as I’d have to feed horses at home 2X daily besides caring for the mini at the fairgrounds.
Haul home Sunday night & be toast on Monday 
In generally 90+F with humidity 
Driving classes meant dressing in long-sleeved blouse or jacket, gloves, laprobe & hat.
Sweat-o-Rama 
This year I said “Nope”, paid for a stall (used by my Faux Grandson neighbor) that got me a Pass.
I used the pass to hang out at a friend’s luxe RV, eat non-fairfood snacks & saunter to the arena to watch friends show.
Most relaxing Fair EVER! 
Next year I plan the same.
Might do a new show in June at the fairgrounds.
Or another in September, also nearby & weather definitely better.
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your birthday haunts you. I never cared until this one: 74. I had to put my horse down in July. I used to do a decade event. When I was 50 I did a 6-week cruise on my sailboat to New Brunwick. Had to quit sailing so I switched to horses. They are safer because you are on land. Fall off the boat, you drown. 60 I was able to get on and off the horse without assistance. 70 I dismounted on the therapy riders’ mounting dock. 75 makes me shudder.
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… looking through a waiting room magazine you realize that you have never seen the “famous” people in the “People Magazine” before, and have no idea who they are or why they are “famous”.
I said to a fellow waitee “I have no idea who these famous people are” and he said " I don’t either, and It’s probably a good thing." 
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I have the same sort of experience sometimes in grocery-store checkout lanes. I will see a magazine cover announcing “Brad and Suzy split!!!”
And I never know who Brad and Suzy are, or that they were ever together.
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Horse got arthritis in his knee so no more jumping and that took us out of first flight on the hunt field. We still hunt weekly but with a more sedate group. I think I am over the hill because I enjoy hunting more --I think we see more of the pack working from our hilltops .
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Hang in there!
For me, 70 was the WTFruitbat Birthday 
Mentally I’m still a 30-Something
Body says otherwise, & reminds me when I overdo 
@skydy & @Rackonteur
Same here!
Proud to say I only know Kardashians through the occasional news story & TMZ*
*that I stopped watching when I no longer had any idea who the stories were about 
@Foxglove
I’m gonna call you out as the Energizer Bunny I know you to be 
Riding 1 or more horses daily + Mounted Archery + Dressage & you make me feel positively antiquated & ready for The Home 
OTOH, I ask myself “WWF(oxglove)D”
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@2DogsFarm: Thank you! Weather was too foul even for me today! I spent the AM filling hay nets and packing the horse trailer for the two-day Joint Meet --Will and I will stay up at the hunt club rather than do a lot of driving (envy you your faux grandson --such a a nice guy!) --three hunts going out --party on Saturday; hunt on Sunday, brunch after --Will needs his gear, and I need to do 3 changes --barn clothes to settle him at the stable, quick change to party clothes, (jimmies for the night of course) then change again for the hunt Sunday – agh! So much to remember!
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See?
I need a nap just reading this.
To be fair, I just got back (ok, a week ago ) from The Ntl Drive.
3 days in a row driving Bugs & partying (in a Sr way ) with Club friends
Bugs had fun:
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I no longer see magazines or newspapers in waiting rooms. If you don’t want to hunch over a phone you sit there bored or bring your own reading materials. People Magazine was an educational publication available in physician and dentist waiting rooms. You had plenty of time to kill so you could flip through it knowing there was nothing worth remembering.
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Moving, stretching, bending, getting up or down includes vocal sound effects. Last night I was reading a book and my middle finger got stuck…it was only holding the book. Tiny details just slide by me because I’m too lazy to put my cheater eyeglasses on. Can’t tolerate crowds or loud noises. I love thrifting clothes but now the stores only organize by color, not size. Just don’t have the patience to hunt through everything to find something in my size. I’m 56 and don’t give a crap anymore and have to be careful to keep my opinions to myself if it’s going to cause trouble.
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When I was a teen living in Michigan, we used to wait till it got UP to 0º before tacking up. Um…if it’s in the 30ºs at all, my horses are lucky to be fed these days. I have become a fair-weather rider. I’m debating tacking up after work today. It will be around 61º – and I’m debating! What a weather wimp I’ve become.
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When you no longer notice that just about everything hurts ( joint wise) on your body.
You just keep going on like it is normal.
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Oh, gosh, I wish I could get to that point. Yes, for the ever-present “minor” aches and pains, I just continue on with them. But there are others that come and go, to no pattern that I can observe, and they cross the line from annoying to uncomfortable and even minor pain.
Yesterday I went for a walk, lovely day, temps in the 60s, but almost as soon as I started walking I started hurting. Today - 50+ degrees - I took Advil BEFORE I went out, and I was able to enjoy a good walk. Even went into the field across the road for the first time in a couple of years (not the one down the hill through the woods, but just as perfect for horses, if only … ).
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Woof! No wonder my grandmother left Kalamazoo to marry a Georgia man! lol (Only to move almost immediately to New Brunswick, and then Nova Scotia!!)
I’d decided to not go out walking unless it was 40 or above this year, but after a couple of mornings of looking out the patio door, I’ve decided to wait for 50s.
We did have our first frost this morning and I wanted to go out and play in it, but desisted.
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I am now officially a snowbird. Inherited the house in NorCal where frost is rare and 14degree winter days unheard of. Spent last winter there, walked, kayak fished in the sloughs, gardened. In the middle of winter.
Missed looking at the snow, did not miss being stuck inside, slipping and falling if I did go outside, and white knuckling my way into town if I had an appointment. Fewer aches and pains in the warm.
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It really does make a difference doesn’t it? I try not to take it but occasionally if we load bales into the loft or I do something overly strenuous that is out of the ordinary I take an Aleve for a couple of days and I can’t believe the difference.
I can see why commercials advertise people taking them as a daily part of their life.
I should clarify that I don’t hurt everywhere and my knees are in good shape but just don’t ask me to get up from a squatting position without something to hang onto!
I am right there with you!
My first year in MO was a newlywed ( from CA) I found the cold and snow invigorating and wore shorts into december and rode every day. I am definitely a fair weather rider now.
Now I am putting on flannel lined jeans and thermal underwear top when the temps hit the 20 at night…
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I love this! I remember the last-road-trip-but-one I took with a friend, 8 years ago, and being surprised because I had to call a pit stop halfway there just to get some Advil out of the trunk. Sigh.
May I please share your photo (just the photo) with the friend who drives me around town these days? She would love it.
Sure hahah
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