Totally worth it

It is a beautiful day but a bit chilly. Josie has had her remaining snow pad removed with her latest shoeing. The wheels are balanced and aligned.

I am delighted when H tells me she thought I was late 30's early 40's. One of the very few things I am happy to take after my Dad about.I had created and sent out a flyer for my Mayday! Mayday! I am fiddy (50) b-day celebration. Going to have it at Cowboy Jack's. I am hoping I can get a ride there and back so I don't have to take a taxi.

Josie was still eating close to the barn and started trucking over when I called. She is letting go of quite a bit of winter coat. I was covered head to toe in little buckskin hairs. My sleeves looked as though I was growing a coat of my own.

I am riding in the updoor today. It is wet and a bit heavy. We scope it out as we walk our two laps of walk warm up. The rail is packed down but has a couple of squishy spots. There are a few deep areas down at the C 20 meeter but easy enough to avoid. After a bit of slow going getting use to the footing Josie and I are warmed up and ready to have some fun.

I have her listening well to my legs now. If I do everything I am suppose to do it happens. If it doesn't I go through my mantra and double check that I am correct. This usually solves the issue. After some very nice trot circles I ask for the right lead canter and she makes the most spectacular transition to canter. WOW! I exclaim jubilantly and we take a few strides and transition down. Oh, my goodness that was the most wonderful yet. NDM says okay let's see what happens to the left. She is now in anticipation mode which helps but WAIT Josie! I haven't asked. She knows my body enough that my mental thoughts of now, now and boom she responds by cantering - yes you did! Well, Josie yes and no but I will take this. We try again and while not as awesome as the right lead it is by far out best left lead. I feel the power of her little QH butt, her legs pushing off, the air time. Oh, how joyous!

On that note we do a little more trot and leg yield zig zags and we are done! We go get the pups. Pix that little so and so!!! Decided to sneak off and eat cat food. Grrrr! We had to go back as she wasn't responding to voice commands. Come on! We are losing daylight.

We take a left at the end of the first part of the lane to venture up the steady incline - great muscle builder. All is good and going well. We make it to the driveway and I turn her nicely around this little pine and then all hell breaks loose! The pups decided to catch up with us and hit some crunchy leaves. At this moment Josie leaps forward, my hands following her head, and I stay with her and we settle back down. Boy! That was a little more excitement than I was looking for. My already sore tendon, the one that has been bothering me but had cleared up (although earlier in the ride I got a cramp in) starts to ache again. My neck feels a little whip lashed. Hmmmm . . . I do my little neck stretches and crrrrrrack! Awe! Much better. We then wander down the road as if nothing has happened.

I get another pile of hair the size of a small dog off Josie. She gets her snack and a big kiss from me. What a wonderful gal you Mare!

Yeeeehaaaaaw! Live is good!