Reading Books and Working with Horses

I'll start with yesterday, the 27th. I started, and finished, the book "Divergent" by Veronica Roth. If you haven't read it, then go do so. I have not read an entire book in a single day in I don't know how long, but this is a book I wholly gobbled up. I'm so excited that I can't wait to get my hands on the next two books, even if the reviews for the final one aren't all that great. You know what, it's a book. Sometimes, by the third book (or later books, such as J.K.'s books), authors feel so pressured to make it perfect and find a suitable ending to wrap it all up without setting forth the ideal for a fourth book. (Unlike, J.K. who set it up for a whole new series... Ugh, seriously? I would have been happy with the ending and no epilogue.)

You want to talk about a series that just goes nowhere and feels like poo? Try reading the "Kushiel's Legacy" series by Jacqueline Carey. They're large books with relatively small print and up to 900+ pages in each book. Emotionally and physically draining, and that's just the first three. There's a second set with the same time line, though from another character's point of view. I really don't think I'm going to get to them. It's an interesting series, "Kushiel's Legacy", but you have to be ready to read and read and read.

Have any questions on what books to read? I can give you friendly advice based on what I've read. Want to know what I've read? Check out my Goodreads profile. I have a ton of books there, and that's not even the full list. I currently have 168 on that list and it grows every passing month. I even have a goal to read 20 books this year. I read 15 last year (just barely!), and thought I'd up my goal for this year. I even include the books that I have to read for class, since I do have to read them. Feel free to ask away!

Today, hubby and I went out and worked with the horses my in-laws have on their property. They're "ride-able," but probably not safe to ride. So, we're starting with groundwork for a while. Fun stuff and all, but it definitely wears you out fast. Especially when the horses just don't want to behave. It's also hard to focus on the massive beast when 4 dogs have decided that they 1) want to play with you/want your attention, 2) want to play with the giant beasts on the other side of the fence. The gelding that's out there is a total arse, but that didn't stop my husband from headbutting him or the mare we worked with. Pretty sure he's got a headache from all that mess. (He is passed out right now, sleeping off all his hard work. I feel like I barely did anything... At least I tried, since I've never "broken" a horse before.) Huh, should clarify real quick. They're already broken, but it's been a while since they've been ridden (since the original owner of the gelding got thrown almost as soon as he was on), so we're "re-breaking" them so they can be sold to people who want to ride them.

It's been two years since I've even really been around a horse, so today was fantastic for me. I was bucked off the last horse I was on (more like half-bucked and half-jumped/pushed myself off the horse), and had to get my right leg checked out because I landed hard on it and my back. I was totally fine, just twisted and tore a few things, which means more knee problems that I will have in the future. I learned from a young age that instead of falling off and possibly getting even more hurt, it's best to "push" yourself away from the horse. Yeah, there's still pain, but you're getting yourself away from the horse and there is probably going to be less damage than if you had stayed on. (I did the same thing on a golf cart three years ago... Totally different story there.) I honestly have missed the connection with horses that I used to get every summer working at a Girl Scout camp in Colorado, so today was fantastic.