Have fun, Hair!
Hello everyone!
Rebecca and I went on our third trail ride today. It was by far the best ride I've been on so far. :-D
I rode Foyt again, with specific instructions that I didn't want BlackJack on trail with us or I'd want a different horse. Luckily, BlackJack was not invited today.
Foyt was wonderful ~except~ he had lost a shoe so they had a boot on his front left foot. :-(
It did keep him from getting too spirited with me on board though. His gait was definitely off compared to the last time I rode him, but the ride was wonderful. We both just enjoyed the trip. *grin*
One bad thing did happen today, which served as a very valuable lesson to Rebecca. There was a couple riding together on 2 horses that did not particularly care for each other. Yet, the couple insisted on riding close together side by side.
Well, the inevitable happened and the guy's horse kicked at her horse...with her ankle in the middle. OUCH!
She had a big scrape along the bone and I'm certain it's gonna be bruised. But she whined so much about it that I did lose my sympathy.
"Well, I won't walk for three weeks, but I guess that's OK." type statements...continously the whole way back. *rolls eyes*
What this taught Rebecca is that we are not riding bicycles, but animals. Proud animals with a very distinct sense of pecking order and rank amongst them.
IMHO, they were asking for trouble by insisting that those horses ride together when it was apparent from the body language that it wasn't a comfortable situation for the horses.
It happened really fast and the trail leader was wonderful at taking immediate control of the situation. Needless to say, the horses stayed far apart after that.
Sorry this post is so lengthy!
Well, beings as this is dude string type riding, the wranglers should be more responsible about making sure the right horses are together. But in reality, any horse should be able to ride together with anyother horses, and it's the riders responsiblity to control them.
My stud horse can be a real brat riding by a gelding. It doesn't mean I don't ride with geldings there's no getting away from it if I ride him, but I have to be aware all times at how he is acting. He'll lunge at one and bite if I let him.
But the situation you are riding in I'd say the responsibilty lies with the stable people, not so much the riders.
But I'm glad you and REbecca had a good time.
Becky