Why Do I Love to Ride?

This is a question I love to ask myself often. I guess I love riding because you can never become perfect. There is always room for improvement and no matter how good you are, you can and will make a mistake. I also love the connection you have between horse and human. You might not be best friends, but there is a mutual respect between rider and horse.

Today had to be one of the most satisfying days of riding ever. It started out with going out to the barn after classes to ride. Saddie was already riding Maddie when I got there and it was beautiful out. Secretly I was hoping Saddie and I could go on a trail ride, and she read my mind. "Stasha, want to go for a hack after you warm up?" I don't know why people ask silly questions like that, of COURSE I was up for a hack. I grabbed Mr P, and to say he was dirty would be an understatement. It was caked in mud. I mean sloth some on him and throw him in an oven caked. It has been raining (and we even had some snow flakes) lately and the paddock has been super muddy. I guess he decided to not only roll in the mud, but lie down for some time. It took me what seemed like forever to get the dried mud off of him and I wish I had a camera to prove that I'm not over exaggerating. So after some grooming with extra elbow grease I was able to tack up P and got into the arena to warm up.

Mr P was extra lazy in the warm up but I didn't mind. I just focused on having him respond to my leg ques and I worked on using less rein when asking for turns. Saddie finished up with Maddie and we went outside to explore around the fields around campus. It was great, and Mr P was a rock star. Maddie was in the lead and she ended up not liking a few things, and Mr P kept his cool ears on the whole time. We did some trotting and he was super responsive to my nice half halts. I don't feel very comfortable going at a nice working trot while in the fields, but that is more because of me and not him. There was a time where I gave him a little more rein and opened up my body and he sped right up, I was amazed at how much just opening up my body could make him more relaxed. Again, my fault with not being super comfortable and confident I half halted him back to a nice slow trot. The trail ride was such a sucess!

We got back to the arena and I decided that it was time for Mr P to actually work. I will fast forward to my "little girl at Christmas time" moment. Over the weekend Katy took a video of me riding, more particularly cantering. I watched the video and was astounished about how bad my position was >.< it was embarassing. My main problem was leaning back. So fast forward to today. Trotting around, I thought to myself "don't lean back, don't lean back" asked for the cancer and oh.my.gosh I had it!!! I wasn't bouncing around, it was smooth, it was mind blowing. I went around the arena once, stopped Mr P and legit I kid you not I squeeled!!! Saddie came into the arena a few moments later and the kid came out in me "Saddie, Saddie watch me canter!" HAHA oh I am so easily pleased.

It is moments like that, that really make me love riding!!

Thanks for reading :)

Trail Ride

Today I get to go on the second trail ride of my life. Saddie told me that I need to start having more fun while riding so today we are going to go out on the trails and relax and still learn. She knows that I want to go on a trail ride super bad and that eventually I'd love to do a trail ride around campus.

As some may not have known, I lost a family member this week. My Auny Dot (grandmother's sister) to cancer, we lost her on the same day we lost a baby alpaca. My feelings on Sunday were such a rollarcoaster. I am much better now, I miss her and I think of her all the time, but I am able to go throughout the day without crying.

In order to make this trail ride more meaningful to me, I decided (as korny as it sounds) to decidate today's ride to my Aunt Dot, and I will have as much fun as I possibly can in her memory.

Thanks for reading!