Trail ride

I know I know - Linda says don't go out trail riding yet ... but my horse has a half sister who is always calm and the only horse I really trust to go out with - to remain calm, and therefore my boy is exceptionally calm and relaxed the whole way.

The sun came out today for the first time in ages so I decided to go.

We ride in the forest... it's also open to quad bikes, motorbikes, walkers and at this time of the year - deer hunters. Although we are all supposed to have our designated areas.

Anyway - did some pushing passenger on a loose rein.... he was jigging about quite alot, trying to bite the other horse when we were going downhill, had a few spooks - but the worst bit was...

...we were approaching a puddle on the track and my friend's horse stopped, backed up and did a 180, closely followed by Garbo. Thought they were both going to take off so I did a one rein stop and emergency dismount when he showed no sign of calming down - neither did the other horse. My friend (non PNH) tried to push her horse closer - which she didn't like and kept doing 180s and backing up - and my friend then saw what it was - some hunter/poacher had killed a deer and left the guts, head and legs on the track.

Thank goodness I got off.

I finally talked her into heading back the other way!
I got back on Garbo but he was still quite RB so I got off again and walked with him and we found some obstacles - fallen trees to jump, tracks to go up and down, round big puddles (so I didn't get muddy feet) and after about 10 minutes he was LB again so I got back on.

Well - I actually think that after typing this and thinking a bit more - I am very proud of myself. I kept myself and my horse safe and got home in one piece. The small of death would have spooked any horse no matter how well prepared I think.

So - 6 more spooks/jumps/bucks (I'll call them SJB's) so that's 7!