Trail Ride

Until Sunday, it had been 25 years or more since I had been in the saddle on a horse with the reins in my hands. In addition, Sunday's ride was only my second time riding without someone leading my horse. All total, Sunday was only the fourth or fifth time I've ever even been on a horse! With that said, horses have always been one of my favorite animals. Never having owned one myself, I still find it fairly easy to "connect" with any horse I'm around.


Our friend, Donna, was kind enough to take time out of her weekend Sunday to bring her horses...Snickers, Rowdy, and Pepper...to our property on the mountain to go for an afternoon "ride". Little did I know, that ride rated on the "advanced rider" scale of difficulty...at least in my mind, it did.


Robert rode "Rowdy". A horse that has not been "broke" for very long. He does live up to his name. Donna rode "Snickers". "Old Nag"....among a few other names....was the name Donna gave her by the end of the ride. Luckily, my horse, "Pepper", was a kind, gentle mare known as a "baby sitter" horse. "Pepper" and I got along great.


We rode through the trees, on an old logging road and game trails, and had to cross a creek three or four times. That was the least favorite task for the horses who were not used to this sort of terrain. "Rowdy" got rowdy when Robert tried to take him across the creek, "Snickers" snickered when she dumped and nearly ran over Donna...twice! I lead "Pepper" across the creek the first and second time. The third time, Robert lead "Pepper" as I rode....even though I wanted to get off. "Pepper" balked a bit, but did leap across without dumping me.


It was a beautiful day for a ride with the scents and last remaining colors of Fall in the air. Though we were all a bit sore, the ride was great fun and quite an experience. Today, however, my muscles are reminding me how neglected they are...and the heating pad, ice, and Advil are my friends.