This time of year I feel like one that avoids natural light.  By the time I can get to the barn, it is always dark.  We had a wonderful ride tonight despite the dark.

The plan when I got to the barn was to do another moonlight ride.  I find my tack room locked when I get to the barn and cannot get to any of my stuff.  The barn manager was away...so I borrowed a halter off of a friend's stall and used two lead ropes like split reins.  We headed across the field and my friend's horse got very nervous from the smell of smoke.  I'm not sure if it was from the prescribed burn up the road or someone's fireplace.  I cannot imagine it being a fireplace, it was 65°F out at 8pm. 

With discretion being the better part of valor, we decided to go ride the mare pasture.  The clouds moved and the fog started rolling in.  With the moonlight on the fog and the trees in the background, it made for the most beautiful ride.  Again, most of my ride was trotting/jogging because of the difference in our horses' strides.

I felt like the poster child for what not to do on horseback tonight.  My son called me in the middle of the ride and was so excited about something that I just could not bring myself to tell him I had to hang up.  So there I was...no saddle, no bridle, no helmet, riding in the dark and fog, and talking on the phone.  I know I should know better, but I am just so pleased with my gelding's progress that I can do that.  He has come such a long way from the spaz I bought almost 5 years ago.