To ride dressage is to dance with your horse, equal partners in the delicate and sometimes difficult work of creating harmony and beauty.

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Pent up


How quickly it happens. After a summer of being out all day every day, the horses have been kept in more often lately due to threat of rain. No, the horses wouldn't melt, but our sloped summer sacrifice pasture gets "slicker 'n snot" with just a bit of precip.

I rode Monday-Friday last week, but wasn't sure when I'd get to ride again from the looks of the forecast. Our first seasonal storm was supposed to arrival with the Autumnal Equinox, and it did get dark and windy and rainy for awhile. Then late this afternoon, the clouds broke up and the sun broke through. Having worked through the majority of my to-do list, I changed into my breeches (a fleece-lined pair!) and headed to the barn without a twinge of guilt.

Lance acted cranky while I got him groomed and tacked up, and seemed a little fresh when I lead him into the arena. I decided it wouldn't hurt to tie up his reins and turn him loose for a few minutes. Well, the first thing he wanted to do was stop, drop and roll – with the saddle on. Fortunately I was able to dissuade him of that idea, but only with the application of my dressage whip. Then the rodeo began; you would have thought he'd been cooped up for a month instead of a day! By the time I thought to grab my camera, the action was more tame. (The photos aren't great, but I still think he looks lovely; he carries himself so well!)

When I called, he was ready to come,
and we proceeded to have a good ride. As with every ride last week, he ended up with "lipstick," always a welcome sign:

As I write this and watch the nightly news, it is raining hard again. I'm so happy I was able to shoehorn in a ride!

2 comments:

Mary said...

I am always grateful for the covered arena where I board, though it is small and confining. At least it is a somewhat safe place to get the "ya ya's" out. We have a large outdoor arena, and pastures, and fields...but when the weather is really bad, it is indoors for me.

Laura said...

I'm thankful for my ride last Friday - with OFFF and rain (and predicted snow!) I'm not going to get any riding in this week. Maybe next week, if it clears. Lance is lookin' GOOD!