There's something quietly joyous about looking at a pair of pricked ears as my body rises and falls with the rhythm of the trot.  Took Balthazar to the end of the road and back.  We've had rain and haven't been out for a few days.  Today was an opportunity to look at the freshly scrubbed-of-dust world.  We've had so little rain this spring that everything has been cloaked with a film of bull dust.  Balthazar, despite being taken from a fresh paddock which actually has grass, seemed content to have a look too.  The birds were singing, the sky was blue and there were those ears at the end of a long red neck and the unparalleled aroma of warm horse.  What could be finer? 
     Made a decision a couple of weeks ago not to wear a helmet any more.  I've done the right thing for years but now I want to do what feels comfortable rather than always thinking 'safety first'.   Something about getting back to basics, why I love horses and why I  love to ride.  Wearing a helmet with this chin strap cutting into my throat wasn't one of them nor was having a hot sweaty head.  I'm wearing a faded woven blue hat with a huge brim and a paua shell pin on the crown.  It keeps the sun off my neck, shades my eyes so I can see and is lightweight and (relatively) cool.  The first few rides, especially when doing something 'dangerous' like cantering, were a bit scary.  It felt like driving a car at high speed without a safety belt on but now I'm used to it and like the feeling.   Of course I don't recommend anyone else do this.  I know how dangerous riding is but the odd thing is most accidents seem to involve something other than a split skull. 
    Yesterday I took Balthazar out for pick just to do something with him.  It seemed like I hadn't spent time with him for days which was true in a way although I see him morning and night.  On Thursday, think it was Thursday, we went up the hills and around.  Nothing to report.  It was a good ride and he was a good boy (of course).  It's starting to be enough that we ride even though we don't have a goal.  There's something to be said about the philosophy of that.  I've ridden for years with goals.  I'm not sure that's a good idea.  When I was a kid, with my first horse, a palomino called Sunny, I rode for joy.  Now that I'm older and am expected to seek and display my second childhood, I want to ride for joy again.  Wouldn't that be wonderful?  To finish up where I started.  I can think of no better goal than that.