One Hundred And Sixty Two

That's how many days have passed since I've ridden outside. Not that I'm counting or anything...

But today I broke my streak.

Oh no, not an awkward picture from horseback!

I took RC out on a trail ride down the snowmobile/outdoor enthusiast trail next door to the farm. I wanted a lazy walk along the trail, and he was so. freaking. excited. to be outside that I knew we were going to have a "find those manners, you asshole" moment or two. Like when he decided that he simply could not walk up the hill. THAT hill required nothing less than a full out hand gallop! Of course, I was not thrilled with this newly found independent thinking that RC acquired and he found out that I can in fact make him lengthen and collect in a 20-ish (Who says that Dressage Queens don't let loose?) meter circle and leg yield and half pass around tree limbs on the trail.

Another one? Find a friend with a camera!

Of course, RC being RC, he settled down and I had a really good ride on the guy, for all we only trotted for about five minutes (what? It's been a long week!). I'll admit that I haven't just dinked along on my WonderPony in such a long time that I forgot how much fun it was...

Now for the impressive part: I rode Tilly in the outdoor!
Yep. The outdoor arena, which - for some poorly planned reason - is no larger than the tiny indoor I've been stuck in for the last 6.5 months. But that's enough for Tilly. After all, practicing steering, transitions and accepting the bit becomes 10X harder when there is so much in the outside world to look at! Tilly was a little bug eyed at the prospect of being ridden all alone in the big wide world (or 40m x 20m fenced arena), but she pulled it together, and we had a very good ride... Except for those fist sized rocks in the arena. Good thing all of those bored bark kids were idlely hanging around, waiting for someone to give them a job...
Mwahahahah!

Delight got today off, since, as mentioned, it's been one heck of a week (not to mention, I feel a touch of the flu coming on.... Dagnabbit. I was hoping that I'd miss this round too). So today was a "hand graze any green tidbit you can find" kind of day. I feel that Delight didn't mind her day of leisure but if she plays her cards right, we might work outside tomorrow. Lucky, lucky girl...