Tomorrow, we ride!

I've always wanted to say that - lol!

Today, we played.  I buckled Sunny's halter on and hopped - or wriggled - on bareback and Sunny and I made a foray up to check on the gate they escaped through on Wednesday.  No hoofprints even close to it, so apparently they haven't been that eager to repeat their excursion.

In fact, there weren't too many tracks out into the snowy fields they do have access to.  Today was the first day since the snow that the wind has really died down, and from the looks of it they've been content to shelter in the dip where the bale is and munch.

Thunder didn't join us.  He's long since realized - as Sunny has - that these treks of ours around the fields, even when we disappear from sight, are of short duration.  He cocked a hip and watched up go, and didn't stir himself until we came back, when he moseyed over to have his ears rubbed.

I didn't ride for long - out away from the protection of the tree grove and hill the tiny breeze was enough to chill my fingers and toes, and I was sorry I'd shed my gloves before I got on.  I buried my fingers in Sunny's mane and steered with my legs.  We half-passed slant-wise up the hill and managed a fair turn on the haunches before making our way back down.  Spiral in, and trot off, slowing to walk the perimeter where the snow cover could potentially be hiding things to stumble over.

I practiced trying to stop him just be breathing out and pressing my seatbones down into the warmth of his back, but had better luck just breathing the word "whoa".  Instant stop, just add w-word.  We backed a circle, then walked forward into another spiral in.  Another halt, then I asked him to flex to my knee in both directions, and then repeated, but this time asked him to step over with his back end until he was straight again. 

Touching my toe with his nose.

For such a short-necked horse, he really is pretty flexible.  Sunny was warm and willing under me, the sun certainly felt good, and it was fun seeing his tracks marking our maneuvers through the frosting of snow.  Tomorrow it's supposed to be in the 40's and sunny again.  Crossing my fingers that the weatherman isn't being too optimistic, because I really want to get a serious ride in!