Literally. Ouch. Despite the fact that my riding jeans felt tight, I didn’t accumulate enough padding on my behind this winter to not be sore my first few times back in the saddle this spring. Under a sunny big sky with temps pushing 60, it’s feeling a lot like spring. As much as I hate to let go of ski season, it’s hard not to love this kind of weather…but knowing Montana, it may not be over yet. Last year this time, we were about to get whalloped with the season’s biggest storms, and spent the last few weeks of skiing up to our waists in powder.

This winter has been a bit disconcerting for me. I adore winter and snow, and apparently all that kind of weather went East this year. I have issues with things not being As They Should Be. We had a fabulous yoga and ski retreat last week, despite some spring conditions and super warm temps (we did however get a nice mid-week freshening up of snow) – more on that coming soon. But I spent the weeks prior agonizing over the weather forecast. Why do I do it to myself, when obviously I cannot control the weather? I decided it must be because so much of what I do depends on it. Living here, I definitely have had to be able to adapt to whatever the weather gods throw my way – and typically it works out. But a mild winter without anywhere near the usual amount of snow? Does not fall into the category of Things As They Should Be. Not to mention being of environmental concern (I can’t decide if it’s been a good thing for me to have read Thomas Friedman’s Hot Flat & Crowded…)

So today I shed some of my weather angst, and embraced the feeling of spring in the air. After my reunion yesterday with my horse Dude Boy, who wintered at the Cowgirl Yoga ranch, I took Morgane out to ride today. (Dude Boy is a shaggy, dirty mess. But he still makes my heart beat faster.) She brought her new pink grooming kit that she got for Christmas, and was thrilled to try it out on Rocky, the Appaloosa with attitude. Janice, Morgane and I had a relaxing ride around the fields. Watching the glee on Morgane’s face as she rode, particularly when she would burst into endless giggles every time Rocky broke into a trot, made me feel like I was overflowing with happiness.

What an exercise in futility, worrying about the weather…after all, had it been snowing, I wouldn’t have been able to get back in the saddle so soon. But secretly, I am hoping that if I let it go, maybe then the snow will come for an end of season finale.