Hey All--

I've been receiving a lot of mail asking about the next chapter of 'Three Hearts' or Book 3 of 'Riding Lessons', so I thought I would take a moment to offer my apologies and explanation for their tardiness.

I, like so many people, have suffered from Severe Depression Disorder for most of my life. In early May, I hit rock bottom (before anyone jumps to any conclusions...I DID NOT try to hurt myself). I have a wonderful and supportive family and I have an agreement with them that when i reach a point where I just can't handle it, I let someone know.

For most of the month my one salvation was the ranch where I have been riding for the last two years. They are a rescue, taking in abused and abandoned horses. I spend almost everyday there...riding, playing with horses, just hanging out...along the way, I decided that after two years of riding every horse there, I wanted to start a full-lease, for those who don't hang out at the barn, a 'full-lease' means that the horse is exclusively yours.

I asked about leasing the horse that I was currently riding, a beautiful 8 year-old chestnut quarter horse. I was denied because this horse is so well-trained that they use him for lessons and to take beginners on trail rides. The owner of the ranch, a lovely lady, was determined to match me up with a horse (she has been trying to get me to adopt for a year), but I wasn't looking for A horse, I was looking for THE horse, MY horse.

At the same time, a new volunteer came to the ranch. Since it's a rescue, anyone who works there is a volunteer. He was a very nice young man who had been riding and training since his early teens.

He started working with a 4 year-old paint gelding that had been at the ranch since he was a baby. The paint had been saddle broken over a year ago, but had never been properly trained. I rode him once last year and swore never again...he bit, bucked, balked and was an absolute brat.

Watching my new friend work with him over the course of a week, I saw what real horsemanship is. He was kind and gentle, but firm. He taught the paint voice cues and how to respond properly to them. On Memorial Day, we went on a trail ride, the first time this horse had been on a trail in over a year and he was amazing, never shying or balking once. We even went for an unplanned swim. Pulled off the saddles and boots and took the horses into the lake with out clothes on and swam with them for an hour.

The ranch owner was still trying to match me up with a horse. At the same time, we learned that my new friend, who is a dancer by profession, was leaving in mid-July for a new job and would be gone a minimum of nine months. At that point, we both had the same light bulb go off.

So as of mid-July, I am leasing the paint and right now I am working with my new friend at learning how to continue the training he has started. He has also been giving me lessons to smooth out my rough edges. He's the first person at the ranch who knows about 'real' western riding as most of the people there are English riders who think western riding is just a different saddle.

So right now about every free moment I have is being spent at the ranch and working on this new project.

In the course of a month, I have gone from one of the lowest moments of my life to being that happiest and most at peace that I have been in years.

Unfortunately, the price of this happiness has been a lack of time to devote to writing. Since we are on a time crunch, this project has to be my priority right now. Hopefully, once things settle into a more 'normal' (is there such a thing) pattern, I'll be able to devote more time to my writing again.

Thank you for your patience and understanding and your continued support.

Andrew