Today was my first day back riding Zelda. It’s been almost four months since our fall. We went on a nice hack to celebrate Mother’s Day, and Zelda was very well behaved. The ride was the perfect end of a day that started with a tasty brunch and moved on to a walk in a lovely arboretum.

I hadn’t planned on riding Zelda today . . . the plan was to go out on Curly and let Lindsay ride Zelda. But now that my big blue mounting block has been sitting out for a week, the temptation has been growing. After all, with Curly and Lindsay along for the ride, Zelda was sure to behave.

The mounting block worked like a charm. Three steps up made getting on Zelda much easier, and I even managed (with a little help) to dismount onto, sparing my ankle the long drop to the ground.

Nothing against Curly, who is the most gentle soul and a great ambassador for Curly horses, but it felt great to ride Zelda again. Even though we only walked, she just feels right.

Today the weather was perfect — low 60s, sunny and hardly any bugs. The grass is finally growing and the trees are green. It’s been a long time coming and I want to enjoy every second of the beautiful weather and my ability to be outside and riding my horse.

Supported by KT Tape, my ankle felt a lot better than it did last week. I managed the entire ride without feeling like I HAD to take my foot out of the stirrup and give it a break. I’m also really liking my new Acavallo Arena stirrups . . . more on that soon. Maybe next week I can try some trotting.

And maybe Freedom is on the docket for a walking ride soon. He’s looking pretty good for 20.