cowboy challenge
Today I took Never to 2 mile run to participate in the fundraiser for trail meintenance/development. I had invited Jordyn, but he went to Erie w his mom. I really debated, but knew I would be mad at myself if I didnt go. So i put on my big girl panties and loaded her up, made myself a sandwich and took 2 bottles of ice water. I didnt know many people there, so rode alone the first half in the am. It was actually pleasant riding alone.
They had obstacles/challenges set up all along the trail. the first was a clearing where I had to ride her to the middle and let a woman drive a pony cart around us in a circle. She kept turning to look but was pretty calm. Then was a gate made from a long piece of plastic pipe that I had to lift and ride her under, then replace it. She aced that one. third was some hula hoops annd logs laid out over a tarp that she had to step over. she hesitated on that one so we went back and did it twice more. We had to take something out of a mailbox, give it to the judge, get it back then replace it in the mailbox. she reared a few times at that one. The final one in the am was a square of pool noodles strung together at water's edge in the lake. She totally refused that one. I knew by her behavior she wasnt gona do it. We had 2 minutes for each and she failed that.
Then we rode back to the observatory where we had parked. I removed her saddle and bridle and let her graze. It was hot and she was pretty sweaty.
I ate my sandwich and tacked her up again.
The leaves o her head are sassafrass and help to repel flies.
She totally refused to enter a path at the checkpoint for the afternoon ride. so I had to go cross country thru the woods to get back on the trail (I pick my battles) Then she was fine. they had a 10' high beam across the trail which had hanging strips of tarp forming a cowboy curtain. She walked up and stuck her head in it twice before she walked thru it. We had to put on a raincoat then take it off and hang it back on a tree; get off, tie to a hitching post, carry a bag of rattly cans to a garbage can, then get back on.
The last one was too complicated to explain but she did it ok-not great. She did 9 of the 10, which I thought was pretty good.
They had a silent auction and I bought a bright orange lead and a hoofpick. they had doorprizes and provided dinner which wasnt great-mac salad, baked beans, sloppy joe and cake aong with lots of bottled water. I drank 3 bottles while there. Ron came out and had dinner w me.
I invited him to go naked swimming w me after, but he declined, so I went by myself. The water was a little cold at first, but was glorious.
They had obstacles/challenges set up all along the trail. the first was a clearing where I had to ride her to the middle and let a woman drive a pony cart around us in a circle. She kept turning to look but was pretty calm. Then was a gate made from a long piece of plastic pipe that I had to lift and ride her under, then replace it. She aced that one. third was some hula hoops annd logs laid out over a tarp that she had to step over. she hesitated on that one so we went back and did it twice more. We had to take something out of a mailbox, give it to the judge, get it back then replace it in the mailbox. she reared a few times at that one. The final one in the am was a square of pool noodles strung together at water's edge in the lake. She totally refused that one. I knew by her behavior she wasnt gona do it. We had 2 minutes for each and she failed that.
Then we rode back to the observatory where we had parked. I removed her saddle and bridle and let her graze. It was hot and she was pretty sweaty.
I ate my sandwich and tacked her up again.
The leaves o her head are sassafrass and help to repel flies.
She totally refused to enter a path at the checkpoint for the afternoon ride. so I had to go cross country thru the woods to get back on the trail (I pick my battles) Then she was fine. they had a 10' high beam across the trail which had hanging strips of tarp forming a cowboy curtain. She walked up and stuck her head in it twice before she walked thru it. We had to put on a raincoat then take it off and hang it back on a tree; get off, tie to a hitching post, carry a bag of rattly cans to a garbage can, then get back on.
The last one was too complicated to explain but she did it ok-not great. She did 9 of the 10, which I thought was pretty good.
They had a silent auction and I bought a bright orange lead and a hoofpick. they had doorprizes and provided dinner which wasnt great-mac salad, baked beans, sloppy joe and cake aong with lots of bottled water. I drank 3 bottles while there. Ron came out and had dinner w me.
I invited him to go naked swimming w me after, but he declined, so I went by myself. The water was a little cold at first, but was glorious.