We’re having ridiculous Texas weather again.  No, we don’t have piles of snow and tons of rain like some of y’all… but it can be equally as frustrating.  Case in point – Saturday it was in the high 70’s by the end of the day.  Sunday morning the temperature dropped 20 degrees in 30 minutes, and we got lots of wind and rain.  Monday night brought a sleet thunderstorm… but I wasn’t able to ride Sunday and I really wanted to see how he felt post hock injections.

I’m sure you know where this is going.

I put on every layer I had and tacked up Simon as quickly as possible.  He was in his usual, jovial mood to see me but kept looking outside like “What’s going on out there?”

When I brought him to the ring I thought, “Maybe I should lunge?” but decided against it because I wanted to see how he felt under saddle without any warm up.

I got on and he felt… electric.  I’m thinking this is partially due to injections and partially due to the fact that it was 35 degrees outside with a thunderstorm brewing.  Our first few trot laps around the ring there were coyotes going crazy a bit of a ways behind the barn.  Simon was on alert:

Are you sure we should be trotting right now?  

Our third and fourth lap around the ring I noticed some lightning off in the distance, and some of the pasture board horses were kicking their shelters making loud BANG noises.

Safety may be compromised.  I’m going to trot faster. 

Then the sirens started.

I’m really beginning to think this was not the best idea you’ve ever had.  Suppressing the urge to take off at a gallop.  

And the lightning started getting closer.  We heard thunder.

SO MANY THINGS ARE HAPPENING AND I’M JUST TROTTING LIKE I’VE NEVER TROTTED BEFORE.

I got off and lunged, so I could see his soundness with my own eyes.

We only got to lunge one direction at the trot with a little bit of canter before I decided the lightning was getting too close and I probably shouldn’t be out at the barn in the middle of a sleet thunderstorm.  After making sure Simon wasn’t too sweaty to blanket (he wasn’t), I threw him back in his stall and apologized for the frantic ride.

On the ride home I spent half the time keeping an eye on my gas gauge (Empty) and half my time keeping an eye on the thermostat (Near Freezing).  It poured about ten minutes from the barn, but I made it home without any ice slippage and without running out of gas.

Combine that with the fact that I officially think Simon feels better after hock injections, and I’m a pretty happy camper this week!

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