The Challenges of an Aging Horsewoman

Speck, the Cowhorse

Getting ready to rope a few calves for branding with my Quarter Horse, Speck, who was trained by my brother-in-law Pat Wade, on he and his wife JoAnn’s cattle ranch in eastern Wyoming. Speck came to be one of my two personal horses in spring of 2022 and is not only a real cowhorse, but a great trail ride and guide horse. He loves his job!

I admit that I’m feeling it a bit more these days, this year especially. A little more arthritis, some stiff joints, and a bone spur removed from my foot in April brought heightened awareness of the changes that a lifetime of hard physical labor and the march of time have wrought on my body. Add in a blustery, cold spring that slowed my riding schedule, and the fact that being off while recovering from surgery let my core condition slip a little, and you can imagine my impatience to get back in the saddle. As of today, I am back at it, riding Cherry and Speck on the days the weather is fair, helping bring in a cow and calf from the pasture on occasion, and riding to gather the pairs to help neighbors and ourselves with the spring branding of calves before they go out with their mommas to summer pasture. This spring work and those baby calves give me hope that everything is going to be just fine. And it is.

In spite of the challenges, my heart is still with the horses, and the desire to ride with women who are facing their own challenges or desire to be better with their horses is my continuing passion. I’m figuring out how to do it in a way that serves you, and preserves my body, mind, and spirit as well. My summer will be spent on the ranch working cattle, helping with irrigating, fencing, and haying. I’ll be riding with friends on a couple horse camps and day-rides, as I prepare myself to host the two Blue Sky Sage women’s riding retreat and horsemanship clinic collaborations in September. It will be my honor and reward to have you join me on one of these events, and we can work through some challenges together, with joy, laughter, and peace. Blue Sky Sage lives on when we ride together.