I haven’t been able to ride for a few days, not so much because of the weather, but I have a lot of work yet to do on our taxes so I’ve been working on that. Today I had had enough, and I really needed to ride. It was Ibn’s turn, and as usual he patiently waited while I primped him, saddled him, and got all my gear together. Off we went. I was bound, and determined to get a better time out of him so when we rounded the main road to go down the trail parallel to our fence line I put him into a trot. To my great surprise not only did he go into a trot with no more than a cue, he actually trotted off with enthusiasm. Now this is a new Ibn. I think he actually missed our little excursions. He didn’t baulk at the culverts, went up the steep inclines without so much as a never you mind, and when we came to a flat meadow easily trotted out.
I on the other hand forgot to put on my back brace so I didn’t have the support I needed when he trotted out. That and the fact that he did it with such enthusiasm kept me posting for much longer than I would have liked. It was a beautiful day for riding. There were high thin clouds scattered through the clear blue sky. I feel sorry for the city folk who never see the skies as we do. Their skies are dulled with smog, soot, and dust. They miss so much of the beauty that surrounds them. We are so blessed here, and I am doubly blessed to be able to get on the back of one of our horses, riding through God’s country. Granted I didn’t feel quite so blessed bouncing at a fast trot when Ibn wouldn’t slow down. Finally I figured out that I wasn’t pulling him in to collect. My bad, once I collected him in we had a much more enjoyable ride.
The air was crisp enough for me to be wearing my vest, but warm enough to only have a thin shirt underneath. I did remember to put on some sunscreen (thank you Lord), for the sun was warm on my face, and neck. When we got to the grassy knoll I put Ibn into a trot, and then a canter. His gait was smooth, and clean. It was as though we were in one of those movie scenes where the girl is galloping across the plains on her favorite horse, which is so much more to her than just a horse. There is a beautiful freedom when you are riding a horse where there are no fences, no clocks, no deadlines to meet, only you, your horse, and the land. Yes, I know there are fences, and the freedom is limited, and civilization with all its demands is down the road, but for a little while all that disappears, and I am that girl in the movie. Of course I’m not exactly a girl anymore, but that’s beside the point.
Finally it was time to turn back on our loop. Ibn still had to stop every time he heard deer rustling in the underbrush until he could actually see them. He has deer, and elk visiting all the time, but somehow the deer, and elk in our backyard aren’t the same, and whatever was rustling in the undergrowth (500 to a 1000 yards away), just might come out, and eat him. Yeah right.
Ibn was very good coming home. Of course the closer we got to home the faster he wanted to go still he behaved himself. When we got to the barn I looked at the time. We left at 1:15 and it was now 3:30. What a difference from the last time I rode him. He even beat Marina’s time. It was warmer yet he was hardly sweated up. I didn’t even rinse him off. I took a soaked washcloth, and cleaned all the sweat off. He was cool calm, and collected, ready to tell Storm, and Little Big Man of his adventures. There was still a bit of hay to munch on as well. Life is good.
I on the other hand was not in as good of shape. I went to the house, took some Tylenol, had a grapefruit, and a couple of flour tortillas w/cheese. By this time it was 4:30, but I hadn’t the energy to feed quite yet. I lay down for about an hour before I went to feed. The days are longer so I have the luxury of feeding later. I was still tired, but not hurting as much. Yes life is good.
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