Sometimes, it seems to take a slap in the face to wake back up to the world after something like the struggles of care-taking and constantly pushing your needs to the back burner. Where is the happiness and joy I once felt with horses? Everything is a chore. I just want to get it all done and go home.
Case in point lastnight, the Universe decided to smile on me for a moment.
The Cheerful Horse... when set right with his comfort by a cold shower, a high powered fan, a special clip of his Cushings fur for ventilation and a good showering of new flyspray... may intend to show case his thankfulness with random displays of joy during exercise.
I swear I wish I had pictures of this.
Lastnight we set out for some controlled free lunging in a paddock next to the barn. The area is nice - 2 large shade trees, soft grass, etc. The object was to stretch his legs and get circulation going because we'd had 2 days of intense heat (95*) and riding/working specific muscle groups, which I'm sure left him sore. D hadn't even gotten once around before he took off at a peppy trot and ended up on the other end of the paddock, head and tail in-air. He shot me a look as he passed... something like Haha! Didn't see that coming, did you?
Crazy horse. He exploded several times into nice canters (complete with head shaking and grunting), and several more times into spontaneous trots. Eventually we noticed a family of deer had wondered over into a neighbouring paddock and were watching us, aghast. D found this amusing and actually trotted closer to get a look at them, and possibly show off. I guess he wasn't so sore after all...
The reason this is so amazing to me is probably two-fold.
One - yes, he is 26 and his 'good days' are fewer now due to the complications with Cushings, hoof issues occasionally, joint issues, heat intolerance, etc. For a former founder, with a variety of issues, while he does well - he's not got the same level of energy he did as a young horse.
Two - the troubles we've kept having have continued to jade me and I often find myself thinking we won't get any better than what I see everyday: the mundane parts of life where we trudge through chores and exercise, call it a day to sleep to start over the next...
Seeing him, of his own volition out and about - sporting and showing off, whether for me or the deer, was a shock. And one I needed.
The Cheerful Horse, that's what I'm doing all this for.
