It feels odd to have such a good day, a few days after my grandpa passed at home. I have no real words to encompass all that, or who he was, to me and to others, not yet.

Instead, and maybe because of him, I took a step out of my depression and had a beautiful afternoon with my horse and my son. Despite three weeks off from any work (which sadly shows in her too round belly, ooops) Tarma loaded right up, dare I say with less hesitation than usual? She hauled quietly, and as soon as she stepped off the trailer someone was remarking on how pretty she was (and guessing she was an Arabian, not outside the realm of possibility but not my first guess.)

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She munched on her alfalfa while I futzed with the saddle, getting it prepped for Kade to ride while I hiked. We “only” did 2.5 miles, but they were beautiful and lovely, calm and easy. Tarma is gentle and careful with Kade, even though she listens to me more than him when he’s riding, but he works with her. I did put her bridle with a simple French link snaffle on, not because it would control her any better, but so the reins go from “let’s discuss turning this way” to “please turn this way.” It helps that Kade is so light handed to the point of having his reins always too long, but there’s only so much you can harp on a kid that doesn’t really ride much. Which is why I also have her rope halter underneath and a lead rope, which I totally didn’t need today. I can tell I’m still off balance, because I cried on the haul home, just a little, at how good Tarma was and how fun it was to share this with Kade.

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