In the Studio

Today I actually rode my horse!!! For some of you, you might be thinking “big deal”. hehehe But for me, this is a big step. I’m a fairly novice rider, I know how to ride, but don’t have enough confidence in me yet to handle a potentially excitable horse. Not that my horse is excitable, he’s just not a dead calm bomb proof plug. He’s got spirit. I just have to learn to trust him not to be spirited while I’m on his back. Anyhoo, so for today, to actually saddle him up and get on his back, alone, no one around for miles…and ride him (at a walk, mind you) around the arena for a little while was a big accomplishment for me. Yay!!! Baby steps. Next time I’ll feel that much more confident and trusting of him.

After the ride, I took a walk down the riding trails on the farm where my horse is boarded at, and parked my butt down in this spot. At first I sketched it while kneeling down, but my old knees can’t handle sitting like that for long so after a bit I said “screw it” and laid down on the forest floor - pokey grass, wild roses, ants and all. I’m not sure how long I lay there for, could have been an hour, maybe two at the most. When I decided I’d had enough for the day, here is the result of that. I hope you enjoy!

“By the Old Riding Trail” - 8″x10″ pastel on suede