Starting off with a triumphant moment, in the middle of completing our first limited distance ride. Trotting forward on a loose rein in a bitless bridle, Tarma informs me of the location of the ride photographer and her feelings about it (aware of but not scared) and proceeds with her job, motoring down the trail with the comfort gelding hot on our heels. You can just see that I’ve already torn the knee in my favorite summer breeches when she dumped me in blackberry bushes two miles in, but that I’m smiling anyway. Spicy chocolate lady, indeed.

Even with a year’s worth of adventures to choose from, I think this could be my favorite photo of 2022 (and I’m not even in it!) There’s so much that happened this day, so much that went into this day even being possible, and yet it’s such a quiet, peaceful moment. A friend and I were horse camping near Sisters for the weekend, and this was our longest and hardest ride to that point (minus the last day of the Cross State Ride). Almost 20 miles of mountain trails, 2500 feet of elevation gain. This was Benny’s toughest ride, and everyone did so damn well. I was able to take care of myself, Tarma and Benny and enjoy a beautiful day in the mountains. We faced some challenges with the trail, but everyone kept their marbles and their health and it was just so damn satisfying.

Oh! Here’s something I’m super proud of, no reservations! Just to prove it can be done safely, I’ve trained Benny to “pony” in certain places. Most training rides for me are doing double duty, conditioning Tarma and exercising Benny. Half of the places we can ride in the winter have leash laws, and it does get a tad boring to ride the same places over and over, so enter: dog on a leash while I ride. This combo requires a breakaway leash, lots of treats for horse and dog, and all marbles firmly intact. Tarma accepts me riding one handed, the leash going over her head, around and over her butt, and Benny knows the commands “left, right, and fix” (which means switch sides). I’ve also taught him “Up”, where he puts his paws on Tarma’s shoulder (which she tolerates), so I can hook and unhook him at need. This wouldn’t work for every combo of horse, rider and dog, but we’ve got several rides under our belts with few mishaps!

Last for today but not least, my current favorite photo. I’m so freaking happy, and yet I acknowledge the privileges it takes to have everything in this photo, both seen and unseen. The job that affords the truck, trailer, horse and other gear, my health in being able to ride at all, a partner in every sense of the word in my husband, a happy kid that’s of an age he doesn’t need me 24/7 anymore, supportive (*cough* enabling *cough*) ride or die friends, generous public lands policies, clear weather, internal drive…the list goes on.

First, third and last is Tarma herself. I’ve ridden so many fantastic horses over the years, I can get along with most of them, enjoy all of them in different ways. Even from our first test ride, when I was still waffling over whether I should buy her or not, I knew Tarma would keep me safe, and yet would keep me on my toes, not in a dangerous way but in a thoughtful, engaged and ever evolving way. I’ve never doubted her, only my abilities to be the human she needs. It’s a struggle some days, I see echoes of responses I learned as a kid that don’t flatter anyone peek out from time to time, but I always come back to “when you know better, do better.” I’m privilaged to have a horse that tells me exactly what she feels, what she needs, because she knows I’ll listen to her, even when I occasionally insist she has to do the things I ask.

Here’s to many more days, spicy chocolate lady.