Its amazing how horses create peace

Not a huge post to say today, but I rode Milo tonight after work and it really just washed everything away today; stress at work, being tired, and missing wes while hes out hunting. I decided I wanted to ride bareback, not only cause I didnt really want to tack up, but to have a quite relaxing ride (and work on my bareback seat more!) and also since Milo got a good workout yesterday.

I only rode about twenty minutes, but it sure was a good ride. Ive always loved the closeness you get when riding without a saddle. It did remind me that my seat has disappeared in just the last few years. I remember being a kid and running fearlessly through fields and jumping fallen trees, all bareback on my good old quarter horse Koalt. I was always stuck to him like glue. Now I wiggle around and clench my thighs when I ride bare.

But Milo was such a good sport, and I think he actually enjoyed it more too. We still worked on a few things and held some collection, but he showed a lot less tail swishing. I jogged him around a bit working on some good circles, and finally asked for a lope. I could feel my thighs clench instantly but I really didnt feel too unbalanced which was nice :). Milo I think could feel that I wasnt sitting the same as I do in my saddle, and he was a gentleman and did a nice collected lope for me - what a good boy! We went both directions, than worked on some turnarounds and let me tell you, he did some amazing spins! Now net necessarily fast, but the footwork was correct and cadenced and the best part was I barely had to give him much cueing. I first asked for him to set himself and turn but after that he just kept going round and round, even on his bad side! :) He even did some nice suck-backs from stopping - up to about 5 or 6 steps on his own!!

So we finished there. And the cool thing too was when I looked at his bit after I got off, he was lathering pretty well and I could tell he was holding the bit well during the ride. So I groomed him and rubbed him, gave him two cookies and put him away. I think he came away from that ride about as well as I did.

And I also wanted to mention how I love love love the soft sound of his hooves hitting the dirt in the arena when we are jogging. It is just the most simple and pleasing sound in the world. Like how I can watch him eating in a pasture for hours and not realize it. Its one of those simple beauties that horses give freely to us if we just relax and pay attention.