5 Jan 2008 - Bit of a disappointing ride today :o(

Was up early today... 8:30... without an alarm Mainly because of all the water I'm drinking on my diet lol

After going shopping I ended up at the yard at about 2:30, and it was p-ing down, but I actually haven't ridden Pinto out for weeks, and I've been itching to go out for a long ride.

After a very quick groom we were tacked up and ready to go by 3pm, and luckily the rain had lightened to a light drizzle.

Now it has been freezing here for weeks, with temps not much above freezing during the day, and well below freezing on a night. Over the past 2 days it has rained, and today the temp was nearly in double figures, consequently the ground was very wet and muddy.

Even getting off the yard Pinto was very tentative, and once we got to the top of the gravel hill he was doing a Bambi with one leg or another every 3rd step. As well as being disconcerting for me Pinto was very unsure too, I could feel him huffing, and he was very tense through his back... so even before we got to the downhill path (with is steep), I turned him around and went back the way we came.

Pinto made a dive for the gravel hill (quickest way home!) but I insisted tha we continue and ride on down the tarmac road and through the village.

In the end we were only out 30mins, which now seems like no time at all.

Unfortunately the rain doesn't seem to want to let up, and it looks like the ground wont dry up any before tomorrow. Which makes me a bit stuck! All our hacking is off road because the main road is a 90kph A road. If I can get to the yard early enough I might try Pinto in the pelham again, if I can get into the manege, or I might have to just follow the village farm road and turn around at the end.