I finally got a morning of my own to ride. Lately it is has been hot & humid, or raining, or both, a lot. No company this morning...no pressing emergency to swoop down and suck me down the dark black tunnel (okay, so I like to embellish). You get the idea. One of the days where you wake up when you want to, get dressed when you want to, suck down a half pot of black coffee, and plot your horse's day!
LSEGH is off working today so I wrote out a ride plan and put it on the desk and called my daughter to let her know I was riding. Journey was saddled up and ready to go by 11:30. Today was on the cusp of ride with caution vs. you dumb nimnal the humidity will kill you. Even so by afternoon Journey was struggling with the humidity. We did our first loop at a good clip, our second a little slower, and by the third loop I had to pull the plug and let her stand in the creek while I sponged for awhile. Quite a while actually. Since we were already in the hills I figured I'd get her cooled down and then we'd just walk the two miles we had left home. She did not pulse down efficiently, but I wasn't expecting she would in these weather conditions. I don't believe Journey could finish a really hot/humid ride. Things that should bring that pulse right down, don't with her. I did electrolyte today, and her drinking was the best it has been for awhile. As I sit here with the AC running I kind of wish Journey could come in for an hour or two! But by the time she was unsaddled, things seemed fine, and she tanked up on water, and went looking to harass Phebes. Journey did surprise me with a quarter mile canter today, it was AWESOME! She canters pretty slow, and it really doesn't seem to blow her heart rate out unless it is a steep uphill. (We did that earlier before it heated up).
Storms are moving in this evening again, and rain tomorrow. Sunday I hope to haul out and get fifteen miles done. Then we will just do some easy stuff and hope all falls together for the trip to Chillicothe, OH next Friday. I'm planning on going, sent my entry in at any rate...but I have no idea if I'm riding one day, or two, or ....(fill in the blank). A lot depends on the weather, and trail conditions. This is supposed to be a hilly course and Journey does not do well on hilly terrain. She is too slow and we'll have a high risk of being over time on this one. So I don't know, it will just be--what it will be! ☺
How lovely to be able to plan a ride your way and be able to get out and do it! Bliss :)
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