Birthday Bliss

-

This last weekend was my birthday weekend and I got to ride four days in a row with plenty of good gallops and long trots. Q was a delight and despite the bad behaviour of other riders on trail. He is growing up fast! And of course has me giggling on every ride.

The seasons are shifting again with the trees barren and the cold increasingly present. Next up, winter.







Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Apple Pie Smoothie

-
Image
Necessity is the mother of invention. After a rough dental surgery today, I am now on a liquid diet and tied to my sofa to binge netflix for at least 2 days. Last night I had nightmares of my teeth being ripped out (usually sounds like strong velcro). Before the appointment I took a wonderful sedative prescribed by the dentist, and despite my anxieties and worries, it all went well. And no velcro sounds. More like a ratchet. The short story is that the bone around two molar dental implants had been breeding a serious infection and the bone loss was severe, threatening the nearby real teeth. They popped the crowns on Monday, extracted the implants and set in the bone graft this morning. I have dozens of stitches on my left side, and am on a steady cocktail of antibiotics, antiimflammatories, steroids along with hourly ice packs and two page list of instructions. Since I never have smoothies (too much sugar), I was looking forward to this part of the diet. Drinkable ice cream here ...
Read more

Early mornings and deer flies

-
Image
Holy camoly did I have a good ride today! We are thick in the middle of our second scorching heat wave (and ensuing forest fires) of spring, as summer just started yesterday. It is an unusual weather pattern. So I planned for an early start to get on the trails for a quick ride before the sun started beating at 10. I was back at the barn with a sweaty horse in tow by 945. I had planned for a short loop of mostly walk and trot with a bit of canter. I wanted to check in with my buddy Q as our last trail ride ended in a “discussion” about key principles when heading home, and our ride after that was a tough cantering session that left Q with sweaty eyeballs. So it was time for another trail diagnostic. He was brilliant. An angel. The deer flies were out in abundance so by the second mile I launched us into lovely jog that Q proceeded to maintain in rhythm without prodding, holding or any aiding as he was on the buckle for two miles. It was so smooth and relaxed that I was able to ...
Read more

And the wild lilac bloometh

-
Image
Every spring I make a special detour to a section of trail where the wild lilac trees are. With all of our warm weather of late, I was sure that the trees would have bloomed so I did the detour three times in the last week. No blooms yet. But today was the day, and she was glorious. We were surrounded by the scent. It was lovely. About ten years ago I came cantering down this trail with my other horse Jazz and my friends in tow. Where I came around the bend and saw these surprising blooms I came to an abrupt stop and my friends almost crashed into me. Since then, every spring I make sure to come see how the lilacs are doing. This year the blooms were particularly generous. This year I have a new budding friendship with our new barn intern C. A lovely young lady who is happy to follow my lead as I show her the trails. I get the benefit of good company and the safety of a friend, and she gets to discover all the sections. She was particularly giddy at our long fast trots as...
Read more

A timestamp for half a century

-
Image
There is something different about birthdays that end in 0. A silly human tradition, but one I embrace as well. I can honestly say that this birthday has me at my highest level of contentment. My 20th birthday was in a context of uncertainty, my 30th birthday was in the turmoil of massive change, my 40th birthday was in a context of newly married but professionally dissatisfied ... which brings me to this day. Today, I am healthy and strong. Nothing hurts today (although that's not always true) and my body seeks fresh air, movement and the beauty of nature. Today, I am in a wonderful relationship with my husband who I adore. The experiences we create and embrace are magical, no matter if they happen in our backyard or on the other side of the planet.  Today, I work for joy. Gone are the days where I am chasing promotions, raises, rewards and approval. I pick my projects and gigs based on the joy and energy they provide me. I rearrange my schedule to accommodate my lifestyle. I work...
Read more

111 cubed

-
Image
Annual Trail Rides: 111/200 (Bareback 5/12) "Can you take me out for a trail ride tomorrow? I really need it." said a fellow boarder to me. Her wife had a stroke a few weeks before, and she was struggling with the tension, anxiety and worry that comes with having your SO suddenly become ill. The morning of our ride I was in trouble. I had not slept, and had been packing a cocktail of anti-inflammatories and painkillers to dull the ache of my sciatica. I thought I would cancel, but I just thought I could power through. I almost cancelled five times that morning ... but eventually I found my way to the barn, tacked up and heading for the mounting block. Fellow boarder had invited another boarder to join us. We were three. When fellow boarder suggested she would like to canter today, I winced. I then fessed up that I was drugged and sleep deprived and I just didn't know what I was capable of. A few minutes of warm-up and I prompted us into a trot. A few minutes of that and I...
Read more