Back in the saddle

So at 7pm last night I put my fear on and drove out to the barn for my first ride. I was so excited and nervous, just because it was new again.

There was just a girl and her parents there ending their lesson, and we exchanged quick hellos. I gathered Moon's halter and headed out to find him in the dark. The moon was full and there were little solar lights a long the path I never noticed before.

SL had messaged me earlier to say that Mr Moon already had made a friend; the little buckskin girl "Hazel". I knew he'd gather up the chicks ;) I had been told the first day that a different gelding is boss (one of "the twins"), and wad surprised to see the gelding on the far side of the creek with his pair. The two plaid blankets were standing there off away from the feed, while moon and Hazel were nose deep. Huh.

Moon was no issue to halter and lead back up the hill. It's pretty neat because it's clearly a floodplain from the river that boards the property. I guess in the low water months it's perfectly grassy. There's a neat little natural stream that cuts across it draining the upper pastures, and then you climb up the embankment to the usual ground level. It's quite a steep embankment if you don't follow the nice graded path they made at the far end. The shelter sits up at the top of the embankment.

So back to the barn we go, and by the time I get there everyone else has left. I have no complaints. It's only about 7:45 at this point I find that odd. Who wouldn't want to ride at this hour?

I take my time grooming Moon in the cross ties. The barn noises are peaceful though I miss the way W always had some classical music playing for the ponies at night.

My gear and the other newbie's still hasn't found a home, so I gather what I need from the viewing lounge. Man do I have a lot of crap (Well, spare blanket, cooler, quarter sheet, 3 saddles...).

Saddled and ready to ride.

Of course, I never did find out how to get into the arena. I try the button I find for a garage door opener hidden behind hanging blankets, but it doesn't work. I finally just try man handling it and have success. Next comes finding the light switches.

I said before that I really liked the apparent Type A styling of SL and I do. The light switches were labelled and I had easy success. Everything here is so hyper organized. Like finding a broom and muck fork took 2 seconds. Her feed room is equally nicely laid out and I feel like our gear in her viewing room must cause her some pain for now. But hopefully this weekend we get our own spots.

The arena is a nice size and the footing is lovely. Not dusty nor packed. It's mixed with shavings for a nice loft and it's pleasing to see that the seats in there are not covered with 4" of dust.

There's still some jumps out from the last rider but I don't mind something for a change of pace. They're all set to the ground and a couple of cavelletti to step over too.

We take our time warning up and Moon is a little rushy and stiff, but surprisingly well behaved. It truly reminds me of just how many adventures we have been on, that this type of stuff just doesn't phase him anymore. The whole hour we rode I got maybe a half dozen calls out of him, which is not shabby at all. And he never stopped listening to me while screaming.

We walked and trotted and worked on softening and bend. A lot. He was still and evil rabbit faced, but towards the end he would give me moments of pretty. We haven't done this in years, he's been just running around trails for the last 2 years and I had a baby a year ago. Let's just say I was happy with what we did achieve.

I will say, that having a child seems to have helped my riding. Granted at first I had some issues with a painful pubic synthesis as the tendons that hold it together get slack due to pregnancy hormones. When I rode Moon the 11 miles back to H's last fall, I sure felt it.

But at some point that all went back to normal, and I've found that maybe it was that same slackening in other joints, but my hips which always seemed to be stiff and difficult to shape so that my legs hung loose, seem so much more comfortable and loose now. I can drape them easily down Moon's sides and in most pictures I'm thrilled to see that they are aligned under me. From head to shoulder to hip to legs to feet. It's like finally they can just be how they need, instead of a tight mess I'm fighting.

And with it, I can sit Moon's bouncy trot. I can more easily work my legs independent of my upper body. My legs are still a bit floppy from being out of the saddle, but I can work on that. My chaps which used to be tight gap now. Muscles waste. Even my show boots which used to be painfully tight are now a loose fit. Poor muscles (but yay for boots fitting!).

My hands are also a bit bouncy but I like the fact that they seem better in line now and I'm more aware of not crossing them over centre.

By the end I sure missed Coach W. Man did she teach me so much, and I miss the encouragement she gave us that winter we spent at her indoor. It brought back so many memories for me.

We did some canter too, and while moon is still to the left, I had fabulous canter pick ups and movement to the right. Beautiful slow movement that was easy and comfortable to control. Like I can't wait to canter a jump course next week!

We finished by cooling out since someone got a bit damp. We walked over all the jumps and then picked our poop and headed back into the barn.

Threw a cooler on Moon and brushed him down. Untacked and put my stuff away. And then we were done. Winter blanket back on and out the door to walk back to the field. I need to start bringing a pail of grain so indoor have to walk as far once there's more snow ;)

I let moon free in the pasture and what does he do?? Heads right to the edge of the embankment and starts down! He has a moment of "Oh crap!" As he starts sliding  (It's snowy and icy here right now), and manages to maneuver down sideways. I honestly thought he was gonna roll.

He nearly walks over the stream, but changes his mind and takes the bridge. Gawd horse.

Huh. The twins see him coming and leave the feeders  to go stand by the fence. Is it possible he's already made himself boss? There he stands eating with his Hazel while the twins move off back to the stream.

And me? Back to the barn to gather my stuff and head home.

I slept like a log and it felt amazing. I'm excited for my next ride and really feel like I made a good choice coming here for winter. I miss this life. I miss this freedom. And I'm grateful for a husband who while it's not his thing (and he reminds me plenty that he doesn't understand why people want to try to convince a 1000 lb animal in the cold to let them sit on them and go in circles while hoping not to fall off, when there's warm houses and video games or hockey), he still is happy to find way to support me in doing it. I really hope B falls in love with it too, but either way, this is part of my forever.