Much better

-

Spring is just a few days away and our recent mild temperatures (and fresh dump of spring snow) have made the trails magic all over again. Ice is still underfoot hidden by a few inches of groomed snow but it was good enough to walk and trot most everywhere and even get in a few canters.

The winter term ends in four weeks and I cant wait to have more time to enjoy the trails. But until then, there is much work (aka grading) to do and the spring thaw will likely wreck havoc on the trail conditions.

So we do what we can, when we can, and make the best of it. Yesterday, was bliss at 2C and bright sunshine.


Q’s best friend Chester.




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Expansion of normal

-
Image
Our five-week European escapade is now coming to a close and I look forward to the return to normal that is my bed, my kitchen, my routine. As I reflect on all that we experienced on this trip, it is clear that even I, a self-proclaimed expert in change management, struggle with disruption in my life. Each new destination would have me grumpy and fussy for the first 24 hours as I shifted to a new living situation almost every five days. This guard and horse stood immobile at the Royal Horse Guards in London for at least an hour. It stretches my imagination of patience. The grand 4 ton Gold Carriage at the Royal Mews. Requires a brakeman walking alongside and 27 meters to stop. Apparently this might be the most uncomfortable thing to travel in, and was very seldom used. Gorgeous Cottage and English Garden in the middle of Hyde Park. This park really had me question my definition of high-density urban territory. Hyde Park with all of its variations on a garden theme
Read more

Happy 8th Birthday Mon Amour!

-
Image
Annual Trail Rides: 50/200 A nice time to hit our 25% trail objective. We finally got access to the trails (walking only) and it has been absolutely delightful. Ive also been using these slower rides to be social and go out with boarder friends, and that also has been delightful! Q was a delight on our first time out, as steady as an old cow pony. But yesterday on the way home he reminded me that the dragon needs tending. Navigating through icy patches between trees where the obvious path for Q is to hug the trees where the ice has melted, but that means my knees go knocking into the bark. So I picked up the reins to navigate better and he got fired up. All of a sudden his sides were on fire, and any heat from my leg prompted him into a trot. Which is not what you want on slick ice. So I stopped him. And we would start all over again. This happened 12 times on the last 1 km stretch home. Not fun. After some reflection, I realized that we were in a 12 rabbit situation. Being Florida-bre
Read more

Quaint Krakow

-
Image
We arrived in Krakow on a super short commuter flight from Budapest and spent most of the weekend wandering about the charming town, constantly watching out for rogue trams that want to run us over. Our first afternoon was a delightful stop in the large market square to sit on a terrace, drink local beer, eat a lovely plate of cured sausages and meats with a kickass fresh horseradish purée, and watch the parade go by on National Constitution Day. Somehow, we often arrive in a new city on their national holiday. Krakow town square and basilica In the town square, m any fine carriages and horses are in line, with beautiful women in black hats with white ribbons driving the carriages. Its so unusual to see only women driving so many large carriages, that I took notice. At first, I thought it was because of the parade. Later that day, I watch the carriages circulating with passengers and the pretty lady is up front doing nothing while an old peasant dressed man is driving the carri
Read more

Prague, dark and moody

-
Image
When asked what I thought about Prague I always answered the same thing : dark. My last trip here dates to almost twenty years ago, in a cold November week where I spent most of my time drinking hot mulled wine in the old town square avoiding gypsies. Tales of ghosts, hidden passageways and underground tunnels, the stark period of the iron curtain, torture museums, castle dungeons ... it was all dark. Tyn Church in the iconic town square A view down the Vltava River A view up the Vltava River towards Prague Castle (from Vysehrad Castle) A view down the Vltava River from the Vysehrad Castle. Its a windy sailing day. Fast forward in time and there are some differences but Prague is still moody. Tourists are abundant and things that used to be free are now being charged at every opportunity. We are struggling with all the currency we are handling and their respective conversions (Hungarian forint, Euros, Polish Zlotis, Czech Crowns ... and soon British pounds)
Read more

oh! really? Thank You ❤️

-
Image
Life lessons from my horse: Hold on señorita, Ill protect you! Its been a rough few weeks work wise. More work than I can handle, conflict and temper tantrums from graduate students, and an emergency bathroom renovation, along with preparations for the revival (after a 3 year pandemic hiatus) of the biggest St Patricks Day house party … well Im teetering somewhere between high anxiety and anger with a heavy dose of insomnia. Not good. Ive been trying to ride a few times a week but certainly not as often as usual, and my trips are short and abrupt. 45 mins, WTC, mostly solo. Grooming, thats for sissies. 😉 Yesterday, my horse was a tool. He tried to attack my friends horse as she passed me (albeit a bit too close), he tried to bolt when a cross country skier was crossing behind, he reared when the sleigh crossed our path with the double team, and he was just crabby and ears pinned whenever anything came nearby. Today before I left for the barn my husband warned me to stay safe, and lung
Read more