Today L brought her new horse down for a quick visit. We had a nice three-hour ride around the hills and lanes. I am pleased for her. She has chosen a lovely, sensible, educated gelding who behaved beautifully all around the ride.
Both L and I suffered the problem of our old horses becoming unsound. Now each of us has a retired old horse to care for and a new younger horse to ride. Each retired horse is happy and well provided for. Our new horses suit us well, though it is true that R and L are clearly well matched from the beginning whilst Brena and I took a while to adjust to one-another. Perhaps that is because R came from one familiar rider whilst Brena was a guest horse ridden by a stream of strangers?
I should not underestimate the challenge that this move and associated transition has been for Brena. But now she has adapted to her new life where she has just one rider who appreciates her as companion and character, and not just as the means of carrying them for a week.
Brena is becoming thickly hairy in her developing winter coat. As if suddenly, she is gaining the insulation that so soon she will need. How the months have flown by! Is it not true that, as one gets older, time seems to pass more quickly? I am not sure whether that is because one grows busier with the passage of time, or simply becomes more philosophical. Am I too busy to notice time passing, or just worrying less about life's minutiae?
That odd wound on Brena's shoulder has shed its scab and there is fresh pink new skin below. In writing about something so mundane I feel like those people who write tedious circular letters for Christmas. However I am surprised and delighted at the speed in which the skin has regenerated and the scab shed.
That's one thing about no longer having a herd of horses to care for. There is time to be concerned about an individual. I welcome that privilege.
It's a pleasure to concentrate on riding an individual. Today I was so happy that Brena liked going out with R. I sensed her appreciation of his company and the enthusiasm that brought her. That made our ride especially worthwhile.
I love the purple spray, we have blue spray in Italy... I wonder if they sell a different colour in each country. I agree with you, having the time to really care for one particular case is so much easier when you only have one (or two) horses. Though I suppose we miss out on being with them 24/7 when we live 'normal lives'. Still, just today I reflected on the change in our horses now that they do not work 5 days a week (and work in the sense 25 km a day). It was exactly a year ago that we completed our final ride (which Brena was part of) so today is an anniversary of sorts for a new life for all the horses and of course, us.
Posted by: Jess | October 30, 2011 at 05:48 PM
Jess: It's always swings and roundabouts. I miss being with them all the time, however I like being able to care properly for a couple of them. So Brena stopped "work" exactly a year ago. It will be one year on Wednesday that she arrived here to find a cool muddy world where the grass is different but palatable. Taking Brena out today she was keen to step out, and the cooler temperatures and softer ground do seem to suit her. She felt like a happy horse. Anyway I'm glad not to have to rely on a body that was beginning to give up, that has needed surgery to keep going with only a little riding and a physically easy job. I've moved on from the old life, and it sounds like you have too. Perhaps the wonder is that any of us kept at it for as long as we did.
Posted by: White Horse Pilgrim | October 30, 2011 at 11:34 PM
Yes, I feel the same way about Dixie right now. "Everything is wonderful and she behaved well" gets so old to report!
I'm so glad you two are bonding so well.
Posted by: funder | October 31, 2011 at 03:09 AM