About 15 years ago I lived on the top of a mountain on a frequently traveled highway. In the winter when it was impossible to get my trailer out of the snow I’d lead my mare down the shoulder while snow plows whizzed by, logging trucks rattled and gawking skiers with all sorts of paraphernalia on their SUV racks called out and blew their horns. We did this for just about a mile until we got to a dirt road where I could safely mount. We’d ride for hours in all sorts of weather and then I’d lead her back up the highway. Was I crazy??? Now that I think back I guess God does protect the unsound of mind!! Partly in my defense I had company in my lunacy. My friend, Sally, kept her horse at my house and she showed up like clockwork every Saturday and Sunday morning, regardless of weather, dressed to ride. When you have company in your stupidity it’s so much easier to think you’re sane! We rarely missed a winter weekend ride. We still laugh at being pelted with snow cantering up a lovely dirt road and watching our horses look at each other as if to say……why weren’t we owned by dressage riders? We’d be in a nice covered ring right now. These women are nuts!
I’ve never been able to afford to send my horse to a boarding facility for the winter. And, even if I could, I think I’d hate giving up those winter mornings when I go out to the barn and see the frost on their whiskers and lashes….. and those cold clear nights when I toss them an extra flake of hay and kiss them good night under the stars. Still, it would make winter riding so much more reasonable and my horse would stay fit!
I’m older now……and no longer living on a highway in the mountains….but I also no longer have Sally to urge me on.
It’s funny, in the Spring, Summer and Fall I have every excuse why I don’t really need to clean the house, do laundry, do yard work, grocery shop, etc. Hey, I need to ride my horse! We have a CTR planned! See ya…Bye….all that stuff is so secondary and can wait!! Almost every night after work during those warm long daylight hours….we take a short trot through the fields before dinner. When the time changes and days get short working full time makes weekday rides impossible. I promise my horse we’ll do something on Saturday and Sunday for sure! But on those cold winter weekend mornings those “to do” lists somehow seem so much more compelling than freezing my fingers off just tacking up! Usually I wind up doing some ground work and a bit of lunging in the driveway and go in to warm up my hands. There’s always some excuse… In December it’s the holiday shopping and prepping….in January the ground is rock hard or icy……now it’s late February and I’ve run out of excuses to ride!!
Since the roads have been clear I hitched up and trailered him here last Saturday. We did some ground work and then some ring work for 20 minutes before we headed off down the trail for a short ride. What a wonderful feeling. I was grinning the entire time. Reilly was visibly a happy camper. He’s been truly bored as only a 5 year old Arab can be! As for me…..just feeling him move under me in his light and easy way felt amazing. Plus, I’m happy to say that he’s starting to actually grow up. He was pretty solid for a first ride!
It’s still winter in the North East, so staying consistent is going to be a challenge but I’m motivated to make this happen. Spring rides are just around the corner and we need to be ready!! No more excuses!!