A Day at the Park

Have you ever had one of those days when you have so much free time that you don’t know what to do with yourself? I don’t get them very often, but last weekend was my first weekend off from IHSA shows in a month and I could finally get a real two day weekend. So what does a horse girl do on a day when she has nothing to do? Go to the barn, of course. And what does a horse girl do when she is planning on spending a beautiful afternoon at the barn? Drag her boyfriend along with her to take pictures (actually he sort of volunteered). The sun and almost seventy degree temperatures were the perfect combination to spend the afternoon riding, and as I got to the barn a few of the girls suggested riding to Moore State Park to ride in the fields. YES PLEASE! It had been five months since Ax had gotten the chance to really gallop. After de-mudifying my beast for an hour and a quick warm up in the outdoor to ensure that he was not going to spend the afternoon as a bronco, Ax and I were off to the park with Emily, Kirby, and Sarah.

Unlike last time we went to the park and spent half the way there getting chased by poodles and children (read about it here), this ride was uneventful. We arrived at the park and walked around a few fields before returning to the main large field to ride. What started out as the four of us riding in a circle turned into a mini photo shoot in the middle of the park.

An hour later, our photo shoot was over, the ponies were tired, and we were heading back towards the barn. All the galloping up hills proved to be too hard for Ax and he turned into a lovebug who was too lazy to hold his head up. I took this to my advantage and decided to give the dirty beast a bath, one of his least favorite activities. He must have been too tired to move because his usual dancing to get away from the hose was nonexistent. As a reward for being a good boy, he got to spend the next half an hour grazing on the little bit of green grass that is coming up.

It was a perfect day to ride and spend with the ponies. I am not sure what Ax appreciated more, stretching his legs or finally getting to sleep that night.

-TC