Today I tacked Kai up outside and then headed to the outdoor arena hoping to squeeze a short ride in before the rain ruined the footing. It was only the second ride in the outdoor this year and today was overcast and I could smell the rain in the air. I decided to ride in the bareback pad today because I am more comfortable and balanced that way. We did our pre ride checks and I stood on the fence and Kai came sideways towards me so nicely for me to mount. We started on the rail and did walk and trot arena exercises while working on vertical flexion. Then Kai and I just happily cantered around for a while, taking some walking breaks for him to catch his breath back. It has been all winter since we went for a good, happy canter and it felt just amazing to just GO. Kai was leaning a lot less and was more balanced.
I then checked that nobody was around and decided I could be a little silly. I set the reins on Kai’s neck and put my arms out like wings, and we just cantered around like that while it gently drizzled on us. It felt almost unreal, like a magic dream. This is what it really is about, when all the training pays off and you can have a moment of harmony with your horse. Nobody watching, just cantering bareback with my arms out and smiling while it softly rains on us.
Kai was feeling happy too. He loves it when I let him just get into a free rhythm like that. Then as I walked him around to cool him out it started raining super hard. I am not joking, it was pouring down so hard that there was an actual waterfall down the side of the indoor arena. Kai and I gathered our ropes and ran for our lives to the indoor arena. I tied him in the corner and ran through the rain to the tack shed to get his green cooler and my lunch. I let him loose so that he could roll in the fluffy shavings (his favorite thing to do)before I put his cooler on. I ate my sandwich as I watched Kai roll right over his back three times snorting with delight and kicking the shavings all over. He got up and had a nice shake before coming over to nose at my half eaten sandwich and look for his apple. I gave him his apple for giving me such a good ride and put his cooler on. I tied him back to the wall and went to get him some hay to munch while he dried off. When we were both done eating I set him loose again to play with the green ball. I taught him to push it back to me when I push it to him.
When he was dry I put him back in the paddock and put a handful of treats on the ground for him to clean up.
I then checked that nobody was around and decided I could be a little silly. I set the reins on Kai’s neck and put my arms out like wings, and we just cantered around like that while it gently drizzled on us. It felt almost unreal, like a magic dream. This is what it really is about, when all the training pays off and you can have a moment of harmony with your horse. Nobody watching, just cantering bareback with my arms out and smiling while it softly rains on us.
Kai was feeling happy too. He loves it when I let him just get into a free rhythm like that. Then as I walked him around to cool him out it started raining super hard. I am not joking, it was pouring down so hard that there was an actual waterfall down the side of the indoor arena. Kai and I gathered our ropes and ran for our lives to the indoor arena. I tied him in the corner and ran through the rain to the tack shed to get his green cooler and my lunch. I let him loose so that he could roll in the fluffy shavings (his favorite thing to do)before I put his cooler on. I ate my sandwich as I watched Kai roll right over his back three times snorting with delight and kicking the shavings all over. He got up and had a nice shake before coming over to nose at my half eaten sandwich and look for his apple. I gave him his apple for giving me such a good ride and put his cooler on. I tied him back to the wall and went to get him some hay to munch while he dried off. When we were both done eating I set him loose again to play with the green ball. I taught him to push it back to me when I push it to him.
When he was dry I put him back in the paddock and put a handful of treats on the ground for him to clean up.