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

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Plodding perfection

Yesterday a friend joined me for a ride on the beach - the first I've enjoyed in a coon's age! Given Russell's stage of rehabilitation, it was out of necessity also the most sedate beach ride I've ever been on; no cantering or galloping allowed. Even so, it was wonderful. The Oregon coast is one of my favorite places to be; to be there on the back of my horse with a good friend along for company made it perfect. We were even spared the ubiquitous ocean "breeze" - that's right; it wasn't windy!

The tide was coming in, so the firmest footing was at - or in - water's edge. Russell acted like he'd never seen waves before; it took persistent coaxing to get his feet wet. Once he did, though, he relaxed and splashed along.

My friend rode Breezy, my son's pony, who is at least three hands shorter than Russell. Fortunately, Wanda is shorter than me and fit Breezy well.

Wanda took the last two photos; I love them!

3 comments:

cheyenne jones said...

Your friend, has the eye for phots. Great time by the looks of it.

TBDancer said...

These are wonderful pictures. I would love to ride on the beach someday. It's a bucket list item, for sure. Glad Russell is proceeding well with his rehab.

Anonymous said...

Hmph, you might think it's fortunate that I'm shorter than you! I consider it to be vertically challenged at times. ;) lol

But, yes, Breezy & I were a good match for size. A good little pony! Though I'm appalled at how often we looked unbalanced.