Feels like Home

Horse people know a feeling that is hard to describe. It comes when you get back on a horse, an old favorite or a new love, and it just feels like home. There’s no having to adjust to each other. No trying to figure out the quirks and buttons of a new mount. Because you already know the buttons by heart and could press them in your sleep. All you have to do is think what you want and it’s already happening. This happens to me with my Angel pony.

This weekend I took a quick trip home on my first weekend without a horse show in six weeks. I couldn’t go home without riding my pony while I was there, so my mom and I bundled up and off the barn we went. I thought Ax was getting fuzzy, boy was I wrong. Angel is a full blown wooly mammoth. I put my hand on her and it disappears. ‘Tis the season of fuzzy ponies!

I had been thinking about taking her to a small jumper show in a few weeks and knew I needed to school some over fences. After months off from jumping, I didn’t expect her to be as well behaved as she was. Of course, she proved me wrong. She was a little, wooly, jumping bean. She was, well, an Angel…how appropriate. It amazes me how all the time apart doesn’t affect our bond. It didn’t take long for me to come to the conclusion that we would DEFINITELY be going to the show. Time for this fuzzy pony to come out of retirement. Wish us luck!