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We have had some touch and go conditions on trail which have reduced us to a walk and sometimes trot. This does not pair up well to the warmer temperatures and spring sillies. Q kept it in check over the weekend until a young great dane growled and lunged at him on trail, tossing his owner to the ground. Nothing happened, but my usually steady eddie (when it comes to dogs) was unnerved. On Monday we had a true thawing, and I was able to get out on trail properly for the first time in weeks and we did a long stretch into the other sector, crossing babbling brooks and all. Q was hot, but we very safely did some nice WTC stretches on some delightful footing. When we walked, Q gave me those vibes that had me tossing my feet out of the stirrups and breathing in sync with him, relaxing my lower body and my shoulders. Ive never had a horse that gave me so much feedback on my own tension and encouraged me to relax and go with the flow. This horse gives me goosebumps. As I drove back home, I wa...

Sneaking in between endless days of meetings, I got a chance to go see Q and check out the trails. Given the rain, ice, and increasing presence of spring, the trails have been dubious at best and most boarders have stayed within the confines of the indoor arena. But this day was warm, bright sun, blue skies, and the parking lot ice was looking like crumbly crusty snow. So we dared to consider a little trail ride. Q was hot to trot and I was doubting my sanity a few times. But he kept it in check, and despite a few tricky icy spots we had a lovely 30 minute meander in the woods for the first time in two weeks and it made me happy happy. So Q is now 10 years old and doing just fine. 

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...

 -1C with soft squishy snow and lots of cantering and trotting on spongy footing. Q was brilliant, in part because I lunged him for 10 minutes before my ride and got the silly spooks and bucks out. By the end of the fast 50 minute ride, Q was tired. We havent had that fast a ride in months and it was a true delight. Work is rough these days with too much piled on, plus a surprise emergency bathroom renovation and a massive social calendar. Which is why it was even sweeter to have a great quick ride with Q. If I wasnt so embarassed, I would make a stupid video of me inventing words to imaginary songs in cadence with his loping stride as we navigate our wide trails while Q flicks his ears back at me. The songs have silly lyrics like “my Q is so sweet/riding is such a treat” 🤪 Its such freedom to be silly with my horse in the woods. Like a kid all over again.

Its been a rough go these last few weeks between a significant increase in work, brutal cold snaps, icy trails and skating rink parking lots. Ive only ridden a handful of times on those rare occasions where the universe converged. This has made for a spicy pony and while it makes me more prudent on how I engage in speed when the brakes are fairly absent, it also makes me super appreciative that this spicy horse does keep his excitement under wraps most of the time. Clearly Q is fit and feeling good, and his daily turnout with bestie Chester is absolutely insufficient in expending energy. Especially since these two lazybouts just stand in a corner watching the world go by.  We went out today after a little snow fell to cover our thick ice. Footing was good, and it was our first outing in over 10 days. The strategy is always the same: long steady trots for 5-10 mins until Q starts relaxing and blowing through his nose in loud bursts. During the first stretch we kept on trotting throu...

The deep siberian freeze is here and planning to stay for a few days. Temperatures at -25 to -35 with wind gusts at 50-60 km/h, creating « feels like » combined temperatures of -40 to -45. Im not afraid of cold weather and often ride at -20C, but this is too much. So when the weather cracked a mild day of -4C before the deep cold, I hurried out with barn bestie for a little spin in the woods. Q was hot but kept it at a brisk walk. Q turns 10 next month, and it makes me happy to see that he can keep his emotions contained at a walk even when he is ready to bounce.

My Q is back. The steady eddy, point and shoot, Q. We got in two solo rides this week with the fresh powder and got in our first canter on trail, and then went out today with fellow barn bestie and trotted front and back to our utter delight. I then pointed Q to a snowbank and he dutifully plowed right through it. The weather was colder (-6 to -10) but the sky was blue and the sun was shining. We were protected from the wind in the forest and kept warm with trotting bursts. It was lovely. Im looking forward to some faster solo rides this weekend and happy to see my lovely Q so relaxed and confident again.