Well, It's Only Natural

Have to write about the bad and the good, right? There's been a lot of good lately...a lot.

We didn't have a horrible ride today. Just off. My sciatic nerve is flaring again (yes, apparently I'm a 70 year old woman). I have an appointment for a massage next week (which fixed the problem for months last time), but until then it makes brisk walking, standing too long, and riding anything above a walk very painful sometimes. So, that's fun.

Today the weather was great, but humid, cloudy on and off, and with the threat of storms-basically, Silly Pony Weather. There was lots of activity at the barn and that didn't help. Mr. Miles first spooked at a child in a swing, then at a pole on the ground, then got distracted by girlie horses grazing in his sight-basically any excuse he could think of to be ADHD. I admit, my tolerance for his antics was very small, due to my being 70 years old with back pain. We had trouble with the right lead (again), though we did get it eventually. We ended the ride with a lovely canter to the left.

After our ride, as if to put a point on his state of mind, he spooked at a frigging BIRD as I was leading him out to graze. He hasn't spooked on the lead since...I don't even know. It's been that long.

The bright spots-he is sound, and sane, even when he's being a ninny. If my back wasn't being such an a-hole, I think I would have actually found his silliness funny instead of annoying. It was an out of character day for him, which is of course a plus. Finally, I was never once worried, or scared, or tense. Even when he's in a mood, I trust him not to do anything TOO stupid. Really, his spooks were tiny and never came close to unseating me. THAT is progress. Most of it is how much we've grown to trust each other, but truly I think a lot of it is going bitless. I can't punish his mouth, however unintentional it might be, when he scoots sideways or forwards, or both in some cases.

Reading all this, I'm actually really pissed at myself for getting annoyed with my sweet boy, who may be having an off day (as was I), but was still safe and sweet. He shoved his head into me after I dismounted as he is wont to do when he's trying to charm me-not for scritches, although those are always welcome, but just to stand for a moment.

My mom asked how our ride was tonight, and I told her he was spooky and distracted, not a bad ride but not worth blogging about or anything. I was wrong. And I can't wait until we can do it again.