Another busy week

I am sitting at home typing this as I am trying to get over a cold. Of course last week's busy schedule finally got the better of me and sent me straight to bed. Just about three days ago I had been boasting at the yard about not getting ill anymore and that I only get ill maybe once a year, but since dealing with mucking out and horses, i.e. exercise, outdoors and a healthy dose of muck/bacteria, I have become a lot more resistant to little sniffles. So, of course, I finally contracted what my partner had been carrying around for the past week, sniffling along as he went, and had to wave a white flag. 

I started new job last week, which I mentioned in my previous post, and that was a bit of a shock to the system. I had to go to the yard after work – in the dark! I have had it good for so long, being pretty much able to pick my times when I go to see Rainbow, so when I had to do what actually most people probably have to do – which is to see their horse after work – I felt slightly depressed. I am not as energetic after working a whole day in the office, whereas if I do horse stuff first, in the morning, it sets me up for the day and gives me energy. The wet weather didn't help either – it's quite challenging having to do everything in torch light and get very wet at the same time. It's also time-consuming, as I have to tie Rainbow up by her stable while I muck out, so she has to have 'raincoat' on while she stands waiting for me to finish mucking out. But what was nice about riding in the evening was that it made me feel energised again afterwards and I didn't feel as zombified when I got home than I might have done if I'd just come home and slumped in front of the TV.

I rode Rainbow on Saturday alone around the village, as I didn't have any friends to go out with. All went well despite the cold, blustery wind. I am lucky that my horse doesn't seem too bothered. I was probably more nervous, especially when the wind picked up behind us and was almost pushing us along. Rainbow was walking with pace, though not hurried, and the wind on my back brought an old Finnish rock song, Tahroja Paperilla, into my head. The lyrics which went: "... Voi tuuli kylmästi kutittaa selkää, Se eteenpäin työntää, älä siis pelkää..." (I won't translate the lyrics here other than roughly: 'when cold wind tickles your back, it pushes you forward, don't be afraid'). Rainbow's hooves were hitting the tarmac like a metronome and I sang in the saddle, as we pushed along in the blustery wind!

By Sunday, yesterday, I was feeling rather ill but had promised to go out with Anna – and Saturday's walk around the village wasn't really sufficient – so dragged myself to the yard and we went around our usual longer route around 'Churn'. Rainbow and Piglet were both well-behaved, except Rainbow caused a little kerfuffle in the middle of the main road when she spooked at a muntjac that was scampering in the bushes on the other side of the road. First I didn't know why R was suddenly so scared and head up, but luckily she didn't bolt off. We did a little circle in the middle of the road – cars were waiting on both sides of the road – but luckily Anna's Piglet wasn't worried, so they lead us on and Rainbow soon calmed down. 

Happy hackers