I Actually Did Ride!

Finally!

The weather gods relented, my work schedule permitted it, and I even had a sound horse! What are the odds?

I actually made it out to the barn on New Years Eve. I'm such a party girl, dressed up in long johns and a smelly winter coat. I actually even managed to stay up until after midnight, which hasn't happened the last couple of years since I've ended up sick over the holiday.

The horses got to party and go for a spin in the hopes that I wouldn't die if I rode them the next day.

Cisco's "I was good give me another cookie" face

I got out to the barn later than hoped on New Years Day. After making lunch in my Instant Pot (which I partially screwed up but it was still edible) I had to set up my new Harmony remote for my TV. That took longer than I expected because I couldn't remember my user information from my old remote, and I wanted to copy the settings instead of starting all over. But eventually I got it figured out and drove out to the barn.

When I arrived someone was just starting, and she had a couple of lessons to teach. Perfect! Someone would be around while I rode Cisco for the first time in two months. I rushed out and dragged him into the barn.

Which quickly filled up with another 4 horses getting tacked up. Yay. There would be lots of people around while I rode Cisco.

I only took one horse picture today, so enjoy some pictures of the new barn kittens.

I tacked him up with his new Total Saddle Fit Stretchtec girth for the first time. Which only barely fit. Ruh-roh. Either his regular Prolite girth measures way bigger than it's stamped, or someone got extra fluffy. Or a combination of the two. I managed to get it onto the first holes in the barn, then up another three holes before getting on. As long as he doesn't get any fatter we can hopefully make it work. If not, it might be his skinny belt for the summer.

Since I didn't want to die on the first day of the year, I popped Cisco on the lunge line first. He was totally boring and relaxed. He twirled for just long enough to show that he remembered how to wear tack and then I prepped him to get on.

And after not being ridden for two months, there is nothing of note to write about the ride. 

He stood perfectly still when I got on. He walked on a long(ish) rein. He steered. He trotted at a normal speed. He didn't zoom off when the snow went whoosh off the arena roof. And then he stood in the scary end and mostly chillaxed.

The barn is a kitten playground.

I kept the ride pretty short. I was only on for about 25 minutes, and did less than 5 minutes of trot, though we did a bunch of walk/trot transitions. There was a beginner lesson starting and the footing is really dry and it was getting dusty, so I decided short and sweet was the way to go.

I'm not complaining about a boring ride. That's how most training rides should go.

I should be able to get another day of riding in before the weather changes again. It's not supposed to get really cold, just cold enough to make me feel guilty if I don't head out. Hopefully the weather forecasters don't get it too wrong.