Grounded

My doctor told me to continue seeing Olive every day, even when my life is busy and stressful. 

Especially when my life is busy and stressful.

But also, I've mostly stopped riding. Oh, there have been a couple little bareback toodles,

but at this point I'm mostly grooming...

and turning out.

Olive thinks this is just fine, thank you very much.

The weather has been nice, and I would love to do more, but...

Last summer, my barn buddy, Diana, was a couple weeks away from a trip to Greece. She went out for a ride on her good, solid horse, Guaranteed, and things went sideways - literally. He was fine, but she suffered eleven broken ribs and a collapsed lung. Instead of going to Greece, she went to the ICU. 

Two weeks ago, something similar happened to my work friend, Nanette. She was riding her horse in the arena and he tripped and went down. She broke her elbow, and her trip to Iceland - we were going to be there at the same time - and Norway had to be cancelled. 

I have spent the last twenty one months riding Olive. We've come a long way, and I feel safe on her. 

But still, she is a horse - and a reactive one at that.

I don't want to be Diana or Nanette. I really want to go to Iceland.

For the next couple days, my feet are staying firmly on the ground.