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Posted on 02/24/2006 9:12:25 AM PST by HairOfTheDog
Oh - a story from our trail ride yesterday... We came upon some other riders, more than usual... there was a competition going on, I don't know whether it was a CTR or an Endurance ride. Lots of people moving fast, anyway... maybe it was an Endurance ride.
Well, one of the people who was not in competion was a woman who was coming the opposite way on trail, but had paused by small bridge like the little one above (but without the U turn) and her dog was in the bottom of it somewhere, getting a drink and cooling off.
I said "Oh - are you coming this way? We can turn around, there's a spot not too far back where we can get off trail"
She said "No, my dog is cooling off here, I'll get off right here." And she proceeded to try to get her horse to go off trail, but it wasn't a good spot, the footing was lousy off trail, and her horse was jumping all over the place. We waited a bit for her to work it out. She did get him off trail and I went by on Bay, but then her horse jumped back on the trail, and I was briefly a little worried because ecurbh and I were now seperated with this horse, her dog, and a little bridge between us. I turned around and faced them to watch. Cyn started to dance a bit, and when the woman got off trail for a minute, she and ecurbh scooted by them. Cyn was a bit intimidated by the other horse, but they once again, did really well in a situation I couldn't have helped them with very much.
That wasn't quite the end of the story, right behind us come two people on gaited horses, and they were movin' fast. The woman with the dog asked if they were with us, and I said, "No - just bad timing for you". She decided then to just follow along with us a bit. The new people immediately said "Can we get by you?"
"Its not a good spot" I said... there wasn't a good spot, and the woman who was now behind us needed to settle down, I think the little episode with us had frayed her nerves enough that she didn't need to try it again right there.
We passed a spot or two where we might have been able to get one or two horses off trail, but not all three, and not the woman with the dog, as nervous as they both were. I kept going in front, moving out pretty well at Bay's near-trot walk, I think Cyn was trotting behind, and the woman with the dog was dancing along behind us.
The competition people said "There was a good spot there!" I said, "No, there's a better one ahead that's a lot safer" I could tell the people were a little annoyed, but that's just tough :~D There was indeed a better spot a minute later when we came into a clearcut area. They agreed it was better, said thanks and moved off fast again. :~)
The woman with the dancing horse and the dog turned around and went back down trail the way we'd come... probably hoping that was the last of that! But I doubt it, I think she was about to find herself going the wrong way for a bunch more riders.
He was rather uncertain through that whole area, it was like a whole new place!
I'm learning to post videos, try this:
http://www.putfile.com/tuffydoodle
It's very short, I haven't learned how to compress the videos, yet.
They're a little slippery when wet, and I always say "watch your feet" but I think the horses don't need me to tell them it's slippery, they are always careful on them.
Hey that works! It is pretty short, but I'd guess from the fact that he's running that he's feeling pretty good? Looked good! I love your pond behind.
We're supposed to get some of those later. I'm hoping to do my mowing first but right now it's still wet from dew overnight.
Did anyone have number vests on?
Passing on narrow trails with a horse that is dancing, can be an experience.
Becky
These videos are a couple of years old. Here's another one, that's me in the background.
http://media.putfile.com/bud-walking
I didn't notice numbers on their vests... would they have had that if it was a CTR?
Bud's such a pretty tank :~D
I couldn't get them to play???
I pushed the random video button and got one to play, I don't think it was one of yours.
Anything I can do to get it to play?
Becky
I am assuming all regions do it the same, if so, yes they would have had a numbered vest on, like the ones I have on in my pictures. I think all regions number the riders, so the judges know who they are looking at if they are watching from a hiding place.
Becky
Click on it and just wait.... maybe you didn't wait long enough for it to load?
Makes sense. Heck, maybe these people weren't part of whatever competition was going on either, they were just in a hurry.
Heh... I was just thinking it would be a pretty good test, to have a decoy rider that gets in the way on trail, to judge how well they handle it, whether they do something unsafe to try to get around, or whether they're patient and safe. :~)
No, I'm getting a cannot open file, check pathway and try again.
Becky
That did sound like a bit of a dicey situation with the competitive riders and the lady with the dog. I'm glad nobody got into too big of a bind. You want to be nice and help them out by getting out of their way, but heck, you have as much right to the trail as they do and since they know that there are likely to be other non-competitive riders on the trail, they need to make allowances in their ride plans, just like they would for any other "obstacle". I'm glad you had a good ride!
I didn't ride this weekend. Shirley's down with plantar fascitis in one foot and didn't feel up to riding on Saturday. He was going to try it on Sunday, but it turned out that I had quite a bit to do at the barn all weekend and just decided to not push it. I did have to rib him though and asked him what was gonna fall apart on him next. ;o)
It's an AVI type file, it could be that you're still having trouble with those working right. The ones I uploaded that you could see were MPEG format.
I have to give the credit to Cyn. She's a gem of a trail horse.
That would be a good observation.
It would be a good way to judge the manners of the horse being passed too.
When I'm asked to be passd, unless the trail is very wide, like a road, I pull off trail and stop, to let them go by. Alot of people want to be passed while they keep going. That does require a lot of room, and that much room can be hard to find in some areas. Pulling over and stopping isn't so hard unless you're riding in a big group.
If a horse I want to pass is acting up tho, I stay back till the riders tells me it's OK to go on by.
There are so many things in a passing situation that need to be considered.
Becky
He is a big ol' boy, isn't he? He's as wide as he is tall. Uncomfortable as heck to ride.
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