the arena

Clay and I have recently spent our free time building a riding arena (read: mostly Clay). Since I have been trying to work Chico every day (at least almost every day) and Tramp and Emmy Lou twice a week I have been wearing dirt paths in our pasture. It was time to have a designated spot to run the horses around.

We located it between the chicken coop and the garden. Leaving just enough room on one side for Clay's vineyard that we're going to plant someday soon. It took some work to clear out all the old fencing, stumps, rocks and metal scraps, but all we need to do now is hang the gate (and paint it).

Someday down the distant road we'll install nice pipe fencing, level the ground and put in some nice footing. But until then I'm extremely pleased with my arena. And we have a nice view of it from our new upstairs windows so when the kids are bigger I can let them go out to play with their horses and keep an eye on them.

Chico is helping me graze down the tall grass so I don't get covered in ticks every time I walk in. That's his reward for putting up with me working him at 6 am every morning.