A good day

Yesterday was an abnormally nice day.  I slept well.  The cats weren't too destructive.  I had leftover smoked brisket for lunch.  I got EVERYTHING done at work and am now caught up (woohoo!!).  I left work on time.  I rode Mia and had a great ride.  I was bad and had some garlic knots for dinner but didn't have the ice cream lol.  AND the dog didn't destroy her crate.  Win all the way around!

I went to the barn without a big agenda, I haven't ridden in several days due to real life getting in the way.  BUT now I can actually park my car IN the garage.  In the garage!  That hasn't happened since March in Michigan.  March!  It will probably take another 2 weekends before the other side of the garage is ready to park a car but people, the house is almost completely unpacked.  It is such a good feeling.

I got App out and gave him a good grooming while he ate some grass.  He is not in the pasture I wanted him in and wasn't in the new pasture either.  Kinda annoyed but, hey.  Boarding barns, what are you going to do.  Grr.  I will bring it back up when I see the owner again.  App enjoyed his time out and was happy that I didn't keep him tethered to a spot.  After a grooming, I took him for a walk down and back up the long driveway for some gimpy exercise.  On the way back up, I spotted one of the boarders and chatted with her for a good while.  She is selling her house and her horse and moving to SC so we talked about that.  I do enjoy having people to chat with.

Despite my good day, I was in a mildly bitter mood and didn't want to actually work on anything so my original plan was to just do some "trail riding".  Which basically means walk around the perimeter of the front hay field bc I don't know where any of the trails are around there.  When I got to the barn, though, I saw someone had mowed and mowed all of the trails.  Plan A of trail ride quickly became Plan B of fitness ride, I needed some gallop time.

Mia was so so so so good.  Total love.  We walked down the side of one hay field hill until we reached the road.  Then I turned around and asked for a canter and off we went.  Mia started with her typical inability to go straight but actually did really well overall.  We circled to the left around a big pond and then galloped up a fairly steep hill next to the hay field.  I gave her a small trot break as we went down the hay hill and then cantered around the back of the front hay field.  Since the trails were now mowed, I figured why not, let's go cantering in unknown territory.  So we trotted across the drive and along more hay fields.  And down some hills.  And through some woods.  We followed all paths I could find and had a great time.  Mia was fantastic.  Absolutely fantastic.  When my breech had slid up past my calf, I pulled Mia up and she stopped politely and stood politely while I fixed my pant leg.  And then walked off without pulling on the reins and then cantered when asked.  LOVE!

We rode for about 25 minutes, about half was a trot and canter, and it was awesome.  Simply awesome.  It totally reminded me of the hunter paces in Ohio (minus jumps), here the paths were wide and nicely groomed.  There weren't wet/mucky spots, I didn't see a single hole, it was just awesome.  Awesome enough that I think this is what I will be doing tonight as well, except this time I will be in my jump saddle.  Here's to hoping everyone can have as good of a day as I had. :)