Have you ever felt that things have been so mad and so enveloping that you just need to be a little reckless and go and have some fun?

Things have been pretty tough for me this year and over the last few months I have had one thing and another effect me and tire me out.
Things are pretty hard for most people any way so, to go and have every day life that the normal fit human would cope with can be pretty difficult for someone with a chronic illness or disability to cope with.

I have had a kidney infection recently, which has taken a good 3 weeks to recover from, and I still don't feel back to my normal 100%, but that is by the by.
My FM has been up and down, but with the warm weather the pain levels have been lower, which is a blessing.
My back is still painful, I'm not sure if that is still part of the infection I had or if my old back injury is grumbling, or it could be my FM.... we shall see eventually.

Any way you really don't want to hear about all that!
I had had enough, so I booked a hack, but I wanted a lesson, but sadly it was the summer holiday and pony club week, so my local EC was extremely busy, But they fitted me in on a hack, which was good.

The weather was pretty unsettled and we had a lot of heavy rain, But the forecast was for sunshine and clouds with isolated showers, but mainly dry in the morning.
As I drove to the centre, the sky looked foreboding and the clouds were a deep charcoal grey. The sun broke through every now and then and the temperature was reasonably warm, so I was feeling optimistic that it would stay dry for the hour I was hacking out.

As I drove into the village the heavens opened and the rain came down in a steady downpour. A ride was just arriving back, so I drove slowly and waited for them to ride into the yard.
I parked up and got myself organised.

I was riding Black Velvet, a sweet horse I had ridden in lessons there before. We all mounted up and started out, The rain had stopped thank goodness.
We rode around the edge of a field and it was peaceful, and although I had fun with BV's habit of snatching at the grass every so often, it was pretty relaxing too.

The sky still looked pretty awful and the times I have seen clouds like that have always been the a storm brewing.
Any way we came off of the field and on to the road and had a trot up to the junction, it was at this point I realized how much the kidney infection had effected me. It had taken an awful lot out of me.
My legs got tired pretty quickly, but I persevered and although my trotting was a little slower than the others, I soon caught up. I also had fun with BV wanting to snatch mouthfuls of grass and other greenery whilst we were on the move.....

We crossed the road and entered another field where we had a canter - well the others had a long canter - I had about three short ones!
I started off ok as the short break from the trot had eased the pain in my legs. So BV and I stared into a nice active canter, the my legs got tired again and BV slowed down, more interested in seeing how much grass she could get into her mouth whilst we cantered up the slope too. Another lady rode with me which was really nice and so I didn't feel left behind.
BV and I had short breaks in between the canters, we walk a little and that was about enough time to ease the pain in my legs again. Once we got to the top of the hill and caught the other riders up, we turned off in to a bridleway which had small jumps along one side and a path beside them. we rode down this path way at a nice relaxed walk and it was this point the heavens opened again. The downpour lasted a short while and we were pretty wet by the time we reached the end of the pathway.

The rain eased off and stopped. We turn off on to another field and walked down the edge. I had a nice chat with the lady who had
stayed with me on the canter, and although I only had two fleeces on, one being a proper out door fleece, I wasn't that wet and I tend to get quite hot when I ride and I hate being too hot whilst I ride, so I don't like to have too many layers of clothing on. I got asked a couple of times if I was ok because I only had my fleece on but I was fine.
A couple of tractors drove past and BV had a little spook, which was actually at a tractor parked up - silly mare! The heavens opened again for a short shower and we got a little wetter - I wasn't bothered at all, after all it's only a drop of rain!

We rode down a track and through a small yard with a couple of tractor sheds and a barn and then turned off on to another field for a long trot, even though my body had a break, the trot was still very tiring and the pain in my legs intensified and part of my legs and feet had started to go a little numb,
we turned off the field and crossed the road and onto a verge and down on to a road back into the village. at this point the sun came out and it was beautiful. The sun shone through the leaves and the steam from the horses quarters rose and disappeared, the air smelt fresh and ozoney and of grass, water and the road. That really nice smell you get when it rains after a dry spell.

We walked back to the village and memories of my child hood came swimming back to me as we passed cottages and buildings that I had visited with my dad as a child.

I had a few moments with my feet out of the stirrups in the yard before I dismounted, so the feeling could get back into them again!
I untacked BV, something I always try to do if the EC don't need the horse for a lesson or hack, and left her to her hay. She was pretty happy and wasn't too soaked through and I know they would check in on her.

I got back to the car feeling pretty good despite the pain and being a little wet! The drive home was ok and now I have my new car with the power steering, it made a huge difference!
I got home made a cup of tea and had something to eat and my painkillers and went and had a lie down for a couple of hours.
The days after were painful and moving was uncomfortable, but I managed and now I am ready for my next ride......


Have fun and happy riding!