Trail Ride Extravaganza

It's been a great week for trail rides! On Monday after work, I went on a ride with my vet friend/roommate and her husband. It was really fun and a great way to end the day. I haven't been on a trail ride with another person in a really long time. I really like the solitude and the ability to go my own speed, but on the other hand, a group is really fun!

Jetta was super good and it made me really appreciate her since she hadn't been ridden in 5 days. She loaded perfectly into an unfamiliar trailer (that seriously had a huge step up, at least twice as tall as my trailer!). She stood tied perfectly for getting tacked up and her hoof boots on. She was just great. KP rode her horse Rep and DG rode his mountain bike and we took all three dogs.

Dogs in background

Rep looking handsome

It was super nice to go on the trails with someone who actually knew them really well. I just sort of wander around until I find a trail system I like, then I just always stick with that one. So it was awesome to find a nice loop (albeit with awfully sized gravel, but that's what hoof boots are for!). They've lived in the area for over 15 years and DG does a lot of mountain biking so he even knows all the names for the forest service roads.

Then we had a really super awesome arena ride on Wednesday. I decided that since Jetta's been so good lately, it really is time we step up our game and actually start working on stuff. So we warmed up at the walk with some shoulder-in and leg yields. She was pretty dull to my aids, but still did as I asked, though I did have to get after her a little more than I'm used to. I was expecting some of the same dullness in the trot, but instead she was right on the ball and did everything I asked with just the right amount of aid. I was impressed! Finished up with some shallow canter serpentines and went for a walk in the outdoor. She's looking pretty good right now besides being a bit chunky!

And then yesterday we got to go on another trail ride with a classmate who boards her new horse Dundee at the same barn! He needs to build up some muscles so we tackled the big hill to work on those butt muscles.

Both horses were great, but especially Dundee since he hadn't really ever trail ridden before! The mountain bikers didn't phase either of the horses and they were on their best behavior. Mostly. There were a couple hairy eyeballs at some logs and a couple times Jetta refused to do some silly things - like cross the bridge she's crossed at least a 100 time before - so Dundee bravely went first without batting an eye.

We went for a super long ride, I think around 8 miles? all the way to Dimple Hill which is one of my favorite lookout points. Not bad at all!

Jetta and her other boyfriend Dundee