Weather or Not

We Ride

OK, so it was supposed to be 40F today. It was supposed to be partly sunny.

How come the "partly" part was working against me? Chris and I rode out on Nordisk and JJ at around 11 AM or so. A bit away from the barn and it started to snow! A blizzard of flurries....well, maybe that's an exaggeration, but it was snowing.

Not horrible, but not exactly a partly sunny morning. Then, once we had reached the "point of no return" which means it was just as far to go home as keep going, the wind picked up. Despite my winter breeches and long underwear, I started getting cold.

Chris, who's been working out at a gym "boot camp," has lost all feeling in her body. Well, at least all feeling for the cold as her metabolism is an high alert. When she asked me if we should take the longer route and go visit my Boys in their pasture, I told her I'd rather go back as I was already freezing.

I'm usually not such a wimp, but for some reason the cold got to me a lot more than usual. It could be that I've been coddling myself with the head/chest cold I got right before Christmas and I'm not acclimated any more. Or it could be that less than a week ago, it was 70F and I was outside in a short sleeved shirt.

Who knows.

I do know that JJ was his usual laid back self when I rode him. According to Chris, this is not the norm. In fact, sometimes he gets downright rambunctious. Apparently, I am some sort of riding tranquilizer for him. I constantly have to nudge him on to get him to keep up with Nordisk.

Now, mind you, Nordisk is a hand taller, and does like to move out, and occasionally, sideways, and even more occasionally backwards, but for the most part he is a good boy for one so young and inexperienced. He has a lovely, forward walk and today even thought a trot now and then might be fun. It seems that yesterday, Chris rode out with her husband and there was a bit of unexpected cantering now and then. Nordie must have thought that was grand fun, because I'm sure he was ready for some more today.

But sedated JJ and I kept at the walk and Nordie had to settle for a boring ride instead.

Boring and cold.

So far, we plan on riding again tomorrow, later in the day. I will add another layer and increase my determination tenfold. With all the Christmas goodies at hand here in the house, I need to exercise.