The moon above casts a faint light
Patty’s ears prick forward at the crack of the crop
She trots across the frozen ground
I feel the pressure of the frozen ground from atop her back
Our shadows dance in the frostbitten grass
The saddle is freezing
I am so cold I could wear 1000 blankets and be content
I stop to drink the scalding hot chocolate
The sweet chocolate melts away as I drink more and more
The moment is bittersweet
Because soon I will be shivering again
We cross the ring as fast as we can
Soaring over the cross rail that stands between the dead flowers
The barren trees wave with the strong gusts of wing
Patty canters faster to keep us moving
Feeling her strong muscles move beneath me as she rocks back and forth
She comes to a halting stop
Time to go in and rid ourselves of this frosty night