Back in the saddle, minus the saddle

After a few weeks of severe and bitter cold, we've had a few days of relatively balmy (-15) weather. The horses are happy to run and play and we're happy to be outside without running for your life from car to house to barn, repeat (Can you pick out the curly, haha. Here he's meeting his young friend Levi for the first time).

As you can imagine, my curly Spirit doesn't actually mind the cold. When the other horses are brought in to the barn, he'd much rather be outside with a run in shelter. But when he does spend the night indoors, he has the funniest sleeping habits ever. The owner of the stable where he is boarded gets a kick out of how he ruffles up his bed of straw, circles a few times like a dog, and curls up for the night.

So other than a few short in-hand sessions in the covered arena, I haven't done much since Jan. 14. Even a covered arena isn't much help when it's in the minus 30s. But yesterday I finally got time and weather both on my side.

As per his usual curious self, he came to the gate and away we went. We did some lunging and leading (I like using obstacles and leading from both sides, at different gaits and speeds to be sure we are in tune) before I slipped on his bridle and got on. I decided to forego the saddle as we both quite like the different contact without it.

I wasn't quite sure how this ride would go because we were in the arena while there was a riding lesson going on, and another person was working with her very young horse on the ground. Given that the young horse was a filly, and the lesson horse is studly old Arab gelding who is ancient but thinks he's "all that" I thought it would make for some interesting distractions, since Spirit likes to be the ladies' choice too.

However other that a bigger trot than I asked for at first (could have been that it just felt a whole lot bigger), he did great, even when they both left. This has been something that we've had to work on. Most often we are riding in the arena or corral alone. He loves company but even when we start off alone, then are joined by another horse, and then they leave, he voices his opinion with some balking and head tossing. That wound up spring feeling like you don't know what's coming next is something I don't love when I'm on bareback, since he is wide and round and hard to grip with my short little legs at the best of times!

He made a half hearted attempt yesterday but was quite content to give it up quickly. Times like this I realize how much I've come to know this little horse with a big heart and occasionally big attitude. He really is a lot of bark with very little bite! No doubt because I am confident enough now to be firm and consistent with my requests.

Discovered he is a little wider than he was, so I guess the extra hay is doing more than keeping him warm! However there is nothing like riding bareback on a curly in the winter, hands down the most comfy ride ever!