I've had a ridiculously busy week.  I'd thought my schedule would settle down a bit after the holidays were over -- silly me!  Or maybe I just haven't given it quite long enough yet.

In any case, responsibilities were piling up, and as a result I almost didn't go out to the barn today to ride.  But I reconsidered when I realized that earlier this week, I made basically the same decision -- and regretted it.  So I went out after all today, and managed to squeeze in a 30-minute bareback ride before I had to go to work.

Horses are a lot of work, yes.  They require regular time and attention, and they can sometimes be frustrating.  But they can also be amazing companions and a source of some of the happiest moments in your life.  When I got to the barn today, my horse Panama greeted me at the gate with happy nickers.  He was thrilled to be tacked up (which he demonstrated, as he always does, by eagerly seeking the bit), probably because it meant that I was actually going to do something with him today, rather than just blanketing or unblanketing (which has become the norm lately more than I'd like to admit).

We rode inside, since the footing in the outdoor arena was extremely hard from the snow and super-cold night.  It was just a short bareback ride, but we were both relaxed and happy to be together.  A fellow boarder even came in and rode with us for a little while.

Taking the time to ride meant that I didn't have time to get everything done on my to-do list for the morning, and I had to rush to get to my nanny job on time afterward, but I'm not sorry I made time for it.  It's days like today that remind me why I have horses!