Chance has been a bit off this month. It seems that he nearly always is at some point during the fall and winter months. He is [hopefully] on the mend though, and can start back work on Friday.

It is always tough for me when he is off because, well, I love to ride. Something is just missing when I do not get to ride. His injuries though, really make me appreciate riding in itself. Whenever I cannot ride, I realize that showing and all of that does not really matter all that much to me after all. It does, but what really matters is the joy of riding. I want nothing more right now than to be able to ride my horse.

However, I still manage to find joy in simply spending time with my horse – even when we cannot ride. 

I have been going out to groom him, and just spend time with him. It is easy to forget that our horses are our partners – our companions. I think they love to see us when they are unable to work. I think it reminds them that we really do care about them. And yes, I do believe that horses feel attachment and love toward their humans. Many people disagree, but I think that horses love to have a person and they love to know that this person truly cares about them. If horses can tell when we are angry or stressed, wouldn’t you think they can tell when we love them?

I really think that going out to see my horse when he is injured show him that he is more than an object to me, but my companion and friend. Even though I was not able to make it out there today due to my work schedule, I plan to go see him tomorrow and the rest of the week until he goes back to work on Friday.