Winter in Israel isn’t very long or harsh, usually, but we still get stormy days. Today was one of those days. It’s not very cold, but it’s been raining since the middle of the night.

When I got to the stables it was still dark, but only drizzling, so I thought maybe we can actually ride today. Mucked up Talo’s stall, took him for a nice walk to eat some grass, and when I saw the storm clouds a-gathering, I decided we should go back and see what happens.

Of course, all hell broke loose and started dropping on the ground in the form of a crazy rain and hail storm. Needless to say, the arenas were flooded after that tempest, so there was nothing left to do other than grooming and eating!

So that’s what we did – and it was perfect. Just me and my horse, spending some quality time together. Don’t get me wrong – I love riding. Being in the saddle usually feels great and perfect, even when the ride isn’t magnificent. Talo needs his exercise, too, and although he is 18.5 years old, he gets really antsy if he has too many days off. Still, every now and then, it’s fun just to hang out, instead of working out 🙂

It was just a wonderful winter day, full of wind and rain and grass, horse kisses and snacks and a couple of carrots, and lots of time to take pictures of Talo, and of us together. No work, no pressure, just pleasure.

This was our day. And it was perfect.