When it’s really windy around here, the sound is that of a dull roar. I don’t hear the roar – I think that its okay to go for a ride. I hear the roar and I think that it’s not okay to go for a ride. I see the temperature this morning, yes, I heard the roar, and I figured that not going for a ride was a foregone conclusion. But by 2 p.m., the sun was shining, it was 12˚F, and although I could hear the roar, I decided to go for it.
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I got Hrimmi ready to go on a trail ride. Pete, who’d spent the morning working on my grant proposal, said he’d join me. So, we got Hrimmi and Tyra and the dogs out for an hour jaunt. It was blowsy, and the trees were creaky. We ride in what I call

Alys and Tyra do agility

an old growth forest. Actually, it’s a decimated forest. The older spruce have suffered the ill effects of beetle kill, and the tree killers routinely take the young spruce. It’s for this reason that the immediate area now mainly consists of old birch trees. The dying spruce and birch – many are ready to fall. Amazingly, I am never fearful, but then again, I don’t often ride on days like this.

We came home and I next deliberated about taking Tinni and Raudi on an outing. I considered just walking Tinni around the loop, my rationalization was that the wind was now blowing harder. I asked Pete what I should do, and he said I should go for a ride, and do what we’d just done. So, with my heart in my throat, this is what I did.

I first removed the blanket I put on Tinni last night. Because he’s older, he loses body heat more quickly now than do the mares. Tyra and Hrimmi were a bit damp yesterday evening, after yesterday’s ride, so Pete put blankets on them too.

Raudi and Tinni both remained amazingly calm on this ride. The plus of riding in stiff winds was that they both were just a tad bit more spunky than usual, but not too much so. I think they were actually glad to be out, stretching their legs.

I just finished reading Mark Phillips: The Man and His Horses by Angela Rippon. It’s a biography. Phillips was for many years a top three-day eventer in Great Britain. He was married to Princess Anne, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip’s daughter.

Reading this book and about Phillip’s riding-related exploits was what motivated me to go out and ride today. I know that I will never do any more than putz around on my stalwart ponies, but at least this is something. Would I attempt three-day eventing? Yes, if I had just the right teacher and horse. Would Phillips ride in near sub-zero temperatures and a strong wind? Yes, but most likely he’d quickly grow bored and impatient.

The one thing I share in common with Captain Phillips is that I too believe that exercise (for horses) contributes to longevity.

Next: 33. 2/2/21: Wind Burn