# How was YOUR ride today?



## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Hope everyone's weather co-operated and allowed for a good trail ride today. I woke up to sunny weather, finished planting all my flowers & decided to take Scotty for a ride. I warmed him up in the arena with some stretching & flexing, smelled the lilacs' perfume wafting over to us. Magnificent! Then we left Indy behind and rode to the end of the road & back which is about 4 miles return trip. Of course I ran out of time before I had to get to work so no riding Indy, he was heartbroken. Let's hear about everyone else's ride today.


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## Eagle Child (Jan 19, 2012)

*I'd rather be riding...*

Your ride sounds like it was so nice. *sigh*

I've been taking a grad class to keep my teaching certificate current this week, so I won't get to go to the barn until Saturday! 

I've been banned from riding by my doc because of un-riding-related neck issues, but I got the go ahead to ride around the arena and the grounds at a walk. I did last Saturday! It felt so great!!! I hope my neck gets better so I can get back out on the trails before summer's gone!


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

At least you are riding again, no rush on the trails until then!


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Got up and exercised Arthur and Lenox on trail early this morning; Excel and Molly are both temporarily out of commission. Lenox was great; I'm really beginning to appreciate how forward and happy she is to work now that she's lost weight.

Arthur, my old guy, was his usual buddy-sour self, but less so than usual. Typically he cries for his mare every few minutes on trail, but today he whinnied for her only a few times. Each time he did, I stopped and backed him, made him stand, and then let him continue. We then went to the arena and practiced lead changes (doing reining at fair).

Nothing too strenuous, as it was 95F by 10am.


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## phoenix (Jun 7, 2010)

Went out on trail tonight with some barn buddies it and was great. did about 4 miles and some hill work, crossed 3 creeks, let 2 of the group canter away without freaking out  and my big man even led the trail about 1/4 of the ride on the way home since he was the calmest out of everyone.


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

I worked 10 hours today, so no riding for me! Glad others got to get in the saddle though.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Tomorrow maybe Phantom? And Equiniphile, 95???!!!! How hot is it in the hottest part of the day?


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Pretty dang hot. Good breeze and lots of shade in my arena, so it's not as bad as it sounds.


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

Couldn't ride today - it was about 100 deg F. Went to visit my horse and the idiot RUNS AWAY FROM ME. So, he was supposed to get the day off, and ended up getting a groundwork session in the heat. Jerk. He only runs away from me when I skip a day of visiting him :x Once he remembered who was boss, I gave him a nice cool hosedown, put lots of fly spray and Swat on him, cleaned his fly mask, put aloe on his nose, fed him applesauce with electrolytes and sent him on his way.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

My ride today noted here:

http://www.horseforum.com/trail-riding/mias-progress-trying-turn-my-spooky-127987/

It was outstanding, at least in terms of Mia's progress. I was pretty sweaty at the end, but it was worth it.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Woke to sun , but clouds with rain coming in. Went out in the park with a good friend, both of us on draft X horses. Was a gorgeous day , about 75 degrees. Both horses behaved like angels. Could not have asked for more. about 2 hours in the saddle.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Awesome guys! I babysit my granddaughter tomorrow, so looks like an evening ride tomorrow, been awhile since I have done that.


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## Oldhorselady (Feb 7, 2012)

Well, nice evening here after the heat of the day. Three more weeks until pins are out of my finger and cast comes off....but I did sneak a nice ride in the arena with Snickers. Just a nice easy walk, trot, whoa and back. She is still learning direction and to yield forequarters and haunches. Nice and easy. I miss riding Belle but she is too tall to slide down off of with one hand.


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## FlyGap (Sep 25, 2011)

Scratched Rick's neck for a while so he'd make funny faces and wag his tongue around. Scrubbed the water tank too.
But no rides for me. 
Getting hot and humid, arrrrrrrgggggggg.....


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## apachewhitesox (Dec 9, 2010)

I went for about an hour long trail ride along the road on Sammy at 9 this morning. It was his first lone trail ride since I got him. 

We only walked because I just wanted him to relax. He was very spooky in the beginning when he realised his buddy wasn't with him. 

As I was heading out one of the things I worry about most happened. A couple of aggressive german shepards came out at me. One just stopped at the gate barking. The other crossed the road and came at me barking, teeth showing, hackles up. Luckily when I turned Sam towards it, it wasn't so big and strong anymore. I continued with my ride and just kept an eye on them luckily they didn't follow. I was worried about them coming out again on my way back but they didn't.

Otherwise my ride was awesome hopefully the more often I do it the less Sammy will stress and the more he'll relax.


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## Amlalriiee (Feb 22, 2010)

I didn't ride today, mostly because I rode so long yesterday that I slept in and am feeling quite lazy (plus it's hot right now and I think my horse could use a break). I did some trail exploring yesterday and got lost for a bit, turning a quick loop into a nerve-wracking 16 mile ride (ish...assuming we were at 4 mph average, although may have been more or less). It wasn't so much the length/distance that was tiring as the stress of not knowing where I was. We do long rides like that about once a week, but usually with somebody else or on a trail I know well. My horse found her way back much quicker than I would have but it was a little scary just letting her go when I knew it wasn't the way we came from and didn't seem like the right direction. Luckily it was!!! She must have been smelling for something or listening for the road...not sure. Either way, a good ride but I need better bug spray and need to bring my GPS watch next time instead of being overconfident


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

Today is a self proclaimed day off, so I will be riding a pool floatie instead of horses


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## PrairieLou (Mar 26, 2012)

Me and my sister got to ride yesterday evening! It was beautiful! Wish I remembered to bring my phone so I would have known how far we went...oh well next time! I seem to always forget SOMETHING when going out riding haha! Rode on the edge of hubby's fields then along the gravel rode on the way home.. I'm on my fjord Tolef and sis on her QH Cody. Both horses were awesome..pheasants flying up and semis driving past and they didn't even flinch! But me and my sis sure jumped at the pheasants haha! Then this morning when I went to let them in the big pasture I found them like this! They got wore out!


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## mammakatja (Nov 3, 2009)

Praisielou, that last picture is a crack up. I love your Fjord. I've always wanted one for my kiddos. I've liked them since I was little. 

I took my greenie for his schooling ride today. He was actually doing really really good last year, and I started him on barrels last summer and then we had a fire in the fall and I lost all my tack, and my equine crew didn't get near the attention they needed to keep them from spoiling over the winter. My finished horses didn't take long to bring around again this spring but the one I started under saddle last year (he was actually between 8-9 but an abuse case so scared to death of the saddle and quite the bronc) he kind of fell back to his old bucky ways after about 5 months off. So now that I have a saddle again and the new barn is just about finished, I'm back to riding several days a week and my greenie needs it at least every other day to every three days. So anyway, he got his work out despite hitting almost 100 this afternoon. I took it slow. Never took him past a trot and only worked him on what I call my arena spot that my hubby tills for me to run barrels on. Worked on lead changes and and correct head set. Lots of circles and half halts and back ups. He really is a good boy and wants to try hard. He's just super cautious and it has taken him over two years to truly trust people. We'll get there again with the riding.  Here's a recent picture of him.


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## hberrie (Apr 28, 2012)

I tried to take my horse out but he balked on the road so may times I couldn't get him past it so I worked his *** off in the outdoor arena, the paddock and dressage ring. I hope he gets the message that if we have to go back to the barn he will work twice as hard than on the trail.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I read all this stuff about it being nearly a 100! I am sitting at the table with my heater on! It's a whopping 54 degrees outside. I just spent all day today sitting outside in folding chairs under a tiny umbrella observing one day of the Buck Branaman clinic. SO COLD!!!! Raining like March here.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Uncommonly hot here in AZ. I had a bunch of errands to run from 6 AM thru the morning. By the time I was free, it was 100+ with brutal sunlight. If I had ridden, I would have used a cowboy hat instead of a helmet...but I decided not to ride.

When the sun is like that, no amount of sunscreen or long sleeves or gloves or cowboy hat really help. In 30 minutes, I feel like beef jerky. And Mia is no fool...she would consider it abuse and be grumpy. She has a beautiful smooth jog, but when she is grumpy, she stiffens her legs and lets me pound my crotch against the saddle until I'm singing soprano. It is kind of like what they say about wives: If momma's not happy, NOBODY is happy!

And if neither of us is having fun, why ride?

Tomorrow, I hope!


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## Oldhorselady (Feb 7, 2012)

tinyliny said:


> I read all this stuff about it being nearly a 100! I am sitting at the table with my heater on! It's a whopping 54 degrees outside. I just spent all day today sitting outside in folding chairs under a tiny umbrella observing one day of the Buck Branaman clinic. SO COLD!!!! Raining like March here.


At least you got to see Buck!!!!!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

and it was awesome! I am writing up my notes, but they are scattered. that's how I think, so I do apologize in advance. look in "horse riding" in a bit.


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## PurpleMonkeyWrench (Jun 12, 2012)

Mine was non existent because I worked from 2- 930 pm...sigh....have to wait till Monday to ride again.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Today (Sat): 6+ miles in southern Arizona. Oh - and we encountered our first motorcyclist in a tight spot. Happily, he stopped and killed his engine, so I could lead Mia up to the smoke-belching monster. We were surrounded by cactus, so there wasn't a lot of room to go by. It was nice that the motorcyclist was so decent about things...not all are so understanding!











The Rincon Mtns east of Tucson are visible in the background. My wife is on our 13 hand BLM mustang, and my youngest daughter is bringing up the rear:










My wife & youngest daughter making their way down a small slope










4 months ago, it was tough to ride Mia a few hundred yards into the desert. She led the entire way today, except for when we needed to go right next to a wooden corral structure. She hopped sideways a few times, so I asked my daughter to take the lead on our ex-ranch horse. Mia then had to ride with her nose up his butt for a few hundred yards in punishment for being stupid...but then she passed him again. My nervous, spooky mare is starting to enjoy taking the lead!


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## StarfireSparrow (Jan 19, 2009)

I don't get to ride much, yet. But I did have a blast doing ground work with the new pony and with my 2yo! The farrier came out yesterday and took the pony from having dish plates for feet down to really nice proportionate hooves. Made her look even cuter! And the neighbors brought their little girls over to see the pretty horses.  It was so much fun watching the 10 and 6 year old girls hug on the pony and she just ate it up.


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## PrairieLou (Mar 26, 2012)

mammakatja said:


> Praisielou, that last picture is a crack up. I love your Fjord. I've always wanted one for my kiddos. I've liked them since I was little.
> 
> I took my greenie for his schooling ride today. He was actually doing really really good last year, and I started him on barrels last summer and then we had a fire in the fall and I lost all my tack, and my equine crew didn't get near the attention they needed to keep them from spoiling over the winter. My finished horses didn't take long to bring around again this spring but the one I started under saddle last year (he was actually between 8-9 but an abuse case so scared to death of the saddle and quite the bronc) he kind of fell back to his old bucky ways after about 5 months off. So now that I have a saddle again and the new barn is just about finished, I'm back to riding several days a week and my greenie needs it at least every other day to every three days. So anyway, he got his work out despite hitting almost 100 this afternoon. I took it slow. Never took him past a trot and only worked him on what I call my arena spot that my hubby tills for me to run barrels on. Worked on lead changes and and correct head set. Lots of circles and half halts and back ups. He really is a good boy and wants to try hard. He's just super cautious and it has taken him over two years to truly trust people. We'll get there again with the riding.  Here's a recent picture of him.
> 
> View attachment 103499


Thanks Mammakatja! "Crack up" is perfect for describing Tolef! Hands down best horse decision I have made! Such a joy to be around him!
Your guy is quite the looker! Keep us updated of his progress...he has kind eyes c:


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## BubblesBlue (Jun 29, 2010)

Long, sweaty, dusty, tiring. I had to get 4:30 am. in the morning and go ride until 10 am. We pushed cows for 4 hours straight through 4 different pastures. I only got 4 hours of sleep. Plus it got super hot today. I want to go take a nap right now.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

BubblesBlue said:


> Long, sweaty, dusty, tiring. I had to get 4:30 am. in the morning and go ride until 10 am. We pushed cows for 4 hours straight through 4 different pastures. I only got 4 hours of sleep. Plus it got super hot today. I want to go take a nap right now.


 Other than the digusting 4:30 am thing & 4 hours sleep, the rest sounds like pretty good. Now go nap.


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## BubblesBlue (Jun 29, 2010)

waresbear said:


> Other than the digusting 4:30 am thing & 4 hours sleep, the rest sounds like pretty good. Now go nap.


Thank you... -crawls to bed-


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## phoenix (Jun 7, 2010)

My ride today was awesome!! Did 5+ miles over about 2 hours, walking some trotting. We took the horses out of the metro park we ride in and up into the housing estate to visit my friends husband, great experience with the cars and the kids and the huge fed ex truck.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

I got to ride both horses today, but just in the arena. There is a momma bear & her cubs reported down the road, and I saw a juvenile bear out on the road while I was weedwacking the boulevard the other day. The juvenile bear did run when the dogs starting barking but I don't think momma bear will! Best just to stick around home until they move on.


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

Yikes to the bears. BTW wares, I stole one of your carrots today, na na na na boo boo!  

My rides today
- Missy - flat work and jumped some grids. 
- Koda (in for training) very lazy pigheaded mare. Did get her to lope today with some encouragement via over & under. She considered tossing in a buck but didn't, I'm certain she didn't because that would be more work lol. 
-Cali (in for training) focused on side passing and lope departures. 
- Red (in for training) put the 2nd ride on. 
-Woodstock - hill work
-Lacey - first ride back after foaling. She was fantastic, Honor not so much. She didn't like me being on her momma. She would run and stop in front of momma, Lacey just pushed her out of the way lol!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## azwantapaint (Feb 5, 2012)

Sundays ride in prescott national forest...


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

Good ride on Sunday. 4 hour bombproofing clinic. Walked by the balloons and over the mattresses and all that like he's been doing it forever (he hasn't!). Only spooked at the fire (a lit road flare) and the silly string being sprayed out of the canister. It was more of a truffle shuffle at the fire - was willing to pass it with some coaxing but only if he could side pass. Eventually got him to walk past the fire then to walk between two rows of fire. Got him to spook in place over the silly string but he absolutely did NOT want it touching him -LOL.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## phoenix (Jun 7, 2010)

My ride tonight was amazing. nice cooler weather and a great friend with me. I rode my friends horse since mine was seen by the chiropractor yesterday, i was planning on riding him anyway but then my friend broke her arm yesterday in a freak barn accident so i took out her green horse to get him used to leading a trail (which he's been having some issues with). He did great, needed some encouragement in some places, especially when we passed a scary woman and her dog lurking in the bushes.

Did 3 miles or so at a nice relaxed pace with my buddy and her little horse.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Nice day today, around 70F. I rode, then hubby showed up & rode his horse, finally!


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

And MF, take all the carrots you want, I have no idea what to do with them!


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## Calming Melody (May 20, 2012)

I had a blast with Cash , waited until the sun was going down and was nice and cool !


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

Pretty much the same as yesterday except I didn't ride Missy today. Though she was the star ride of the day. My favorite lesson kiddo is leasing her for 4-H to ride english & jump. Had a workshop at the fairgrounds tonight and she was the best behaved horse there. She really went to work for her little rider. They were the only pair to go clean for the whole workshop. Made me proud, my sweet old lady was fantastic and my student was beaming.


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## FlyGap (Sep 25, 2011)

Couldn't take it, jumped on Cowboy bareback with no halter or lead. We moseyed around the pasture, reining with his mane. He's such a doll.

106 here, no measurable rain in months... Everything is DEAD. I'm about to pull my hair out. PLEASE send me some of that AWFUL cold weather!


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

FlyGap said:


> Couldn't take it, jumped on Cowboy bareback with no halter or lead. We moseyed around the pasture, reining with his mane. He's such a doll.
> 
> 106 here, no measurable rain in months... Everything is DEAD. I'm about to pull my hair out. PLEASE send me some of that AWFUL cold weather!


Baybee, if I could, I most certainly would! I am liking our temps at the moment, but when it rains, I will send it your way.


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## AnnaHalford (Mar 26, 2012)

Well, approximately 6800 miles from my horses, I rode a motorbike. Does that count? Am incredibly jealous of all your rides - even those of you in the hot n' humid places!


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

No Anna, riding the motorbike doesn't count, but I see it is not your choice, by the way, where are you? Hubby has blown off riding his horse to ride the bike, what a guy! Temperature was a bit cooler today, 67F and cloudy, but no rain. I had a riding lesson this morning, as always I worked up a sweat & so did the horse.


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## Calming Melody (May 20, 2012)

Well , I rode Scooter today and it didn't go well at all! He hated the bit that I had so next time using a differnt bit. He wouldn't listen and would hang his head down low and was just chewing on the bit . Checked his hooves , teeth , saddle , under the saddle and couldn't find anything wrong . Last time he was rode and we used a different bit and he did good , he just couldn't stand this one ...plus he he stubborn. He didn't want to go up the hill and we pretty much had to spin the whole way up ....good grief!!


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

Got to do a little swinging while on tonights ride. Just a rest stop and horse play. Rope swing in a large dead Cottonwood tree.










And the question is. Doyou think we can get to the top and back before dark???


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

Why try making the top and back before dark? Night rides are a blast so don't hurry!


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## mammakatja (Nov 3, 2009)

Rode Mojo today. He's my English ride. He decided to be a bit of a turd today so what started out as a morning ride to beat the heat turned into a 1pm or so finish. And yes we're north TX and part of that crazy heat wave that's currently stretching it's way across the country so lets just say he straightened out. I am the winner!!!!! I can do heat all day so don't challenge me.  I did reward him with a nice cool waterhose shower.


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## DoubleS (Jun 11, 2012)

I had fun! Went for a nice 1-mile gallop on a flat stretch of gravel road this morning... I could tell Putts was on top of the world, too! It's always great when both of us have fun. Makes for a great day.


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## eeo11horse (Jun 22, 2012)

I wish I could have rode today but it was literally 106 degrees out today! :shock:


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## Fingerlakes (May 2, 2012)

This last week have been riding a lot. Have had some tough times at home with a death in the family. Riding is such good therapy! I'm learning this even more now. Didn't ride today since the farrier came and did his magic.

He thought he was the king after he got all trimmed up... haha


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## outnabout (Jul 23, 2010)

He is absolutely gorgeous, as all Perchies are!


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## mammakatja (Nov 3, 2009)

Wow Fingerlakes! He's beautiful!!! He deserves to feel like a king. Sorry about your loss. I lost a dear friend at the age of 37 to breast cancer last year. She left 6 children behind. My saddle had so many tear stains on it, I couldn't count them all. Riding after that phone call was the only thing I could think to do. It is wonderful therapy.


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## phoenix (Jun 7, 2010)

^^ He's lovely! Very beautiful horse.

We had a huge wind storm last night which brought down a lot of trees and knocked out power. So my friend who has no power at her house thought riding would be a good break from sitting in the dark house.

My ride went like this,
Phoenix: *OMG!!! everything is different, i'm on another planet, must look around at everything and stop randomly!*
Me: "it's okay! it's fine. Watch out for that branch, watch out for that tree, watch out for those spider webs"
Phoenix: *ATV!! Run away!* *half nekkid runner... Run away faster than him!*

To be honest, for the amount of debris and downed trees and (wtf) ATVs and half naked runners on trail he did pretty well; only almost lost me off the back once when he jumped forward about 5 ft and took of running away from the runner.

We even did some training, tied the horses to a hitching post and left them there to stand while we had snacks and wandered around away from them.


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## mammakatja (Nov 3, 2009)

Isn't it just mind boggling what they will spook at? My husband can be out in the pasture with a huge, loud 50 hp tractor attached to a mower, tiller, baler...whatever....and mine will go towards him and stand in front of his rig wondering if they can help with anything, but a grass hopper will land on my mare's nose during a trail ride and she rears up and almost dumps me. Go figure. LOL! Your backdrop looks amazing by the way Phoenix. What a beautiful area to ride.


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## phoenix (Jun 7, 2010)

Thanks. Yeah, the park really is lovely, and we have some nice hills to condition on and a creek to play in. 

I know, he's pretty level headed about not spooking at objects on trail, signs don't bother him, plastic bags don't either, but half naked men... now that's some scary stuff. Whats even funnier is how considerate he is, last week he stopped on trail and looked down, i was thinking oh great he's about to do something stupid. Nope, he was stopping to let a toad cross the trail. Oh and he didn't spook or get bothered by the one thing i thought would freak him out, he got a branch caught on his tail and happily dragged it around the trail with him, i guess trailing him to ground drive with stuff wafting around his legs did some good.


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## Fingerlakes (May 2, 2012)

mammakatja said:


> Wow Fingerlakes! He's beautiful!!! He deserves to feel like a king. Sorry about your loss. I lost a dear friend at the age of 37 to breast cancer last year. She left 6 children behind. My saddle had so many tear stains on it, I couldn't count them all. Riding after that phone call was the only thing I could think to do. It is wonderful therapy.


Thanks, I appreciate it. 37 is so young.. :-(


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## BoldComic (Feb 26, 2012)

Took a 5 hour ride in the mountains today with Hubby and some of his family. It was fantastic. Deadfall to ride through, rivers to cross, dry creek beds to navigate. It was a great learning day for my OTTB. He needs more long rides like this. He is not great at placing his feet (lazy, he drags his back ones, sigh) but by the end of the ride he was picking his way through with the best of them. The horse I started with and the horse I finished the ride with seemed like very different critters.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Wanted to go out today, but time was limited and my family wouldn't cooperate...so my youngest daughter and I did some riding in the arena. Plenty of trotting, but my favorite picture my wife took was during a break:


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## phoenix (Jun 7, 2010)

Rode a lesson horse tonight at my old barn, made me wish my horses canter was better, something i am determined to work on this summer, and also appreciate how easy he is to turn and how much he listens to body position. So over all a good ride, back to riding my boy tomorrow.


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