Winter Escape

Well, our luck ran out and we finally got snow. A ton of snow. The blizzard forced me to hunker down so I wasn't able to get out to the barn until today.

Quest has been hanging out in pasture for about two weeks though she was doing quite well all snug in her blanket (I'm so glad I had remembered to bring the heavyweight Rambo earlier in the month and just in time).

I debated what to do the entire drive up to the barn. If the trails were too icy, I simply hoped to do a handwalk on the street or groundwork. If we were lucky, I could maybe even hop on for a bareback jaunt around the pasture. Well, we got SUPER lucky and the trails ended up being nice enough for us to get in a leisurely 6-mile ride. We walked most of it and only moved out where the footing was even and safe. It was our first time cantering in the snow and mareface did so well!

Traffic on the trails was low; there were a handful of hikers and we encountered a few cross country skiers. It was Quest's first experience I think as she was all ears-up and alert the first time though it was NBD every time after that. I love how quickly she figures stuff out. 

We detoured off the trail to head to the hay field for some zooming but I immediately spotted a hunter's blind when we entered the big clearing.  Even if it was unmanned, turning around seemed prudent. We opted for more trails and got more cantering in that way.

There is something truly magical about riding in the snow. It was incredibly relaxing and I found myself feeling nothing but pure happiness. There was really no where else I'd rather be.