more reasons why I love the Big Bay

I told him at breakfast that once it warmed up fully we would have a ride together. When I got back out to the barn mid-day, he was lying curled up in the front field, soaking up sunshine. My daughter tried to take a picture, but my camera battery died the instant she pressed the button.

I walked into the front field with his new Micklem bridle in hand, and he stayed curled up until I reached him and rubbed his head. There is something special and sweet about rubbing the Big Bay's star while he is lying down. He let me get that bit of magic, and then he stretched full out for a moment and then carefully stood up and shook himself off.

He stood sniffing the new bridle and the booklet that I was consulting to make sure I got the bridle adjusted correctly - it's made differently and I wanted to get the buckles set just right. We worked together to get it fitted, and then I removed it and told him to enjoy the hay daughter was serving while I groomed him in the field.

When I went back to the barn to get organized for tacking up, I realized my saddle was having some issues - the cold damp we had did a number on the leather and it needed a thorough cleaning and conditioning. So I called out to Keil that I was going to clean the saddle and then we'd ride. I pulled up a make-shift stool, turned on the radio to NPR, and got to work.

Once I got everything ready I brought Keil in and tacked up. We haven't ridden in about 5 weeks, but Keil was wonderful. No fussing, no fidgeting. He seemed intrigued by the new bridle and walked with me into the arena. We had a little issue with mounting. The same issue - when I haven't ridden in awhile I get extremely obsessed with the mounting block being in one very precise place in relation to the stirrup. And then I hesitate as I start to mount and Keil steps back one step with one foot, which puts him off square and I stop to move the block.

All this would be alleviated if I would just go buy a 3-step block! But I'm stubborn and I feel I should get over the obsession, which gets better anyway if I'm riding regularly. So we played the game for a minute and then daughter came out and I asked her to just stand at Keil's head, which always works too.

Alas, when I put my foot in the stirrup, it slid almost to the ground. I hadn't buckled it back after cleaning the leathers! Yet another instance where Keil likely knew something I didn't, and instead of checking everything, I kept trying to do what wasn't working.

In any case, I fixed the buckle and got on, and that was that.

We had a very unstructured ride, only walking, and mostly focused on relaxation and just getting back into the swing of things.

One thing stood out though - Keil was walking with a huge amount of freedom in his shoulders, with his head and neck relaxed and ears curious and alert. There was a forwardness to his motion and his general physical demeanor that I loved. I kept looking at his front end, noting the position of head and neck, and also looking at his shadow. Something was different and better.

I'm not sure if it's just Keil being in a good place or the addition of the new bridle. We certainly didn't try anything strenuous or fancy, but as we strode effortlessly along the arena, me practicing an exercise I sometimes practice, which involves just letting my eyes hit a point and then Keil goes there, straight and in balance, with mostly no aids required, I realized that we were doing what I think of as the perfect "working" walk.

We looked like one of those old photos or sketches of a horse and rider walking with purpose and yet pleasure down a country lane. Keil's attention was with me and yet we noticed the neighbor cat walking toward the woods, the crash of a deer in the opposite direction, my daughter mucking out a stall, and various other things that went on around us. We noticed but weren't distracted, as if we were on a path to somewhere important, but there was no rush to get there, and no reason not to enjoy the things blooming up around us as we went.

There were no thoughts of dressage or work or anything like that. No getting on the bit, no fussing with position or trying to achieve a goal. I suppose you could view it as Keil Bay and I not trying to accomplish anything at all, and succeeding at that. But it felt too like we had transcended something and were simply, but brilliantly, enjoying a piece of our journey together.

What more could I ask for? The Big Bay takes me where I need to go.