Second Outing, Good Horse

This post is nearly a week overdue, and has been sitting in my drafts since the end of last week.  Anytime work would like to slow down would be great.

Anyways, after our frustrating first outing of the year, new BO and I decided to scale it back a notch, and just hit the trails out behind our barn in the hopes that both horses would keep their brains in their heads.  The short story is that it was a huge success.  If you feel like reading me blather on and look at pictures, keep reading.

I showed up to the barn, got the beast ready, as BO and another friend, R, tacked up.  I threw Mollie's ear bonnet on because the little gnats are out in force and princess does NOT like them.  And I do not like the subsequent head shaking.

Muahaha

There was some discussion as to what order we should ride out in.  BO's horse can be looky/spooky, R's horse has an iffy past on trails but has been good lately, and Molls is brave until she isn't.  She typically won't do anything naughty but will be marching along and SLAM on the brakes if something catches her attention, which can be an issue for the horses who then walk right into her bum since she lacks break lights.

It was decided we would attempt being first, and if Mollie was annoying we would just reorganize.  Luckily, Mollie perked her little ears as soon as we hit the trail, and she thought for one half second about hesitating but I closed my legs on her and that was the last time she thought about stopping the whole ride.

"on alert" ears

group selfie

At one point in the ride R started talking about a skinny trail that she and BO had ridden before, that was essentially a pole bending course.  BO said she just about peed her pants last time they rode it, so obviously R and I ganged up on her and decided we should do it again.  This required us to turn around so Molls was last, and I quickly apologized for making them walk so slowly on the way down.... I didn't realize how much longer their horses' strides were, but I should have!!  Both geldings have over a hand on Mollie and their legs are miles longer.

pole bending in the woods

We all made it through the skinny trail, although at one point I really thought BO and her horse would be stuck... he carries his head very high and had to be convinced to "duck" under a low branch.  Perks of riding a small fat horse :)

We made it back to the barn on a loose rein, and Molls got all the pats and kisses!

Apparently my helmet is dirty.