Focus

It was such a nice day today, that in spite of the wind, I just had to go to the barn to be with the horses. I gave everyone a good grooming and followed up with some treats.
The two "younger" girls, Lady and Dakota, were in the riding ring today. It was the best place, because their paddocks are still soggy in too many places. They get along fairly well, although Dakota has set herself up as the herd leader, and tries to keep Lady from eating sometimes. Since the two piles of hay are relatively far apart, Dakota gives up after a while. She just likes to assert herself.
Both mares were acting up because of the wind, and as much as I was itching to ride, I decided it would be better not to. I've had three months off, and I'm not ready for foolishness just yet. I need to ease into it.
I was taking pictures of the horses and I realised that one thing horses give me is a different kind of focus. I have to live very much in the moment while I am working with them and riding. I made a few foolish mistakes when I was younger that led to some unpleasant results. Now I know that I can be relaxed yet attentive. When I am with horses, I can focus on them, and what we are doing "right now", and everything else that is vying for my attention fades away for a few hours. Horses bring me back to the place where I like being me.