Equine Therapy Day

Had a day off work today, taking back some time that's owed to me. I had to get to the vet to pick up medicine for my big dog's old bones and had a lovely walk in nearby Christie Park. I was already thinking about what would be todays blip, but I was saving it for later in the day, because I knew I was going horse riding.

I took up horse riding a couple of years ago with a good friend. It's harder than I had ever imagined. We are classed as intermediate riders now, and can comfortably go out on rides in walk, trot and canter. We are also learning to jump, which admittedly scares me a bit. It's a challenge, but we get a lot of enjoyment out of it, and the feeling you get when you've had a good lesson or a good hack is amazing. It started as a hobby, but very quickly became a therapy, a welcome distraction from a stressful job and eventful personal lives!!

We ride at a yard in Inverary, the instructors there are brilliant. This is one of their very well schooled horses, not the one I rode today, but this guy was posing in the sunshine showing off his newly clipped coat, so he got to be my subject for today. The scenery is almost outshining the horse, it's a beautiful part of the world.