Back on the Trails

On Saturday after watching the derby, I headed down to TC's barn, stuffed him in the trailer, and took him over to the most local trail facility. Now that we finally don't have any outstanding show entries, I felt like a trail ride would be super fun. I don't like risking his soundness so close to a show. Though he was cleared by the vet almost a year ago for hills, I've been super paranoid about it so this is only the second time he's gone out on the trails since his injury.

Happy ears

 I decided that he was probably fit enough to do the whole short loop, which is I think a little more than 4 miles. He's been cantering a LOT at home these days, really focusing on collection, so climbing some hills was going to be doable.

Outside of the worry about pissing off his old injury, there was also the worry that we just haven't trail ridden very much in the last couple of years. When I first started riding TC, we did a LOT of trails, we were out there once a week with his baby sitter bff. When I bought him, I did take him out once by himself and he was good, then we moved and I only had the trails at his new barn. There he was a bit hit or miss, and I never really got to a point where he and I enjoyed the trails there. Then he got injured and here we are. One trail ride under our belt (where I did have to hop off to deal with antics and only got maybe a quarter of the way around before turning around) and ready for more!

Love these views, even if the afternoon means bad lighting

So I wasn't sure what to expect when I hauled out on Saturday late in the day when it was windy, getting a little dark by the end, and when we were all alone. But I had NOTHING to worry about!

He always comes out of the trailer at places like he's a fire breathing dragon, and he didn't settle down as much as he does when we're at ASH (where we've been a lot), but he did settle pretty well given that I hadn't given him any food despite it being dinner time. I tacked him up and hopped on and then we were off toward the first gate! He was quite prancy and wanted to stare at nothing a lot. Much of the time was spent either prancing or standing and staring. He started off that way last time too, I think he just gets excited. I'm glad he's displaying his excitement doing that rather than deciding to run for the hills.

This spot is my favorite

Once through the first gate, he settled down and remained pretty settled the whole ride. My plan had been to, at the very least, get to where we went last time and then come back. At first I thought that was the only thing we were going to do, despite not doing anything wrong, he seemed visibly upset about being alone out there. He kept screaming and stopping to scream. I knew that he was on the edge of having a little breakdown when he stopped to scream, so I just ignored him and quietly pushed him forward. No point in having a giant fight on terrain I didn't think I could win on. So we just pressed forward.

About half way out, he had stopped screaming and was having a lot of fun!

Happy pony

He had some minor spooks but generally (except at HPW) has been much less spooky in places that aren't his home. He showed me two things that had been moved since he was there last time, but other than that was super solid. He was even solid when a guy was pushing a stroller by us. He only got a little bit tense when they passed us, so I asked the guy to stop and then let TC walk by. Even Rico isn't as okay with strollers as TC is! Thanks, breeder's barn! They had tons and tons of kids riding there so there were always strollers around.

I rode probably 90% of the trail on a loose rein. I only dropped my stirrups a couple of times. I can definitely see the progression of my comfort level with this horse- the more comfortable I am, the more I go down the path of loosening my reins, dropping my stirrups, playing on my phone, and finally riding bareback (and that one time I rode him in a halter bareback around the ranch). On this ride I got to the point where I dropped my stirrups but not to the point where I felt comfortable playing on my phone very often. I was just listening to an audio book and occasionally taking pictures behind his ears. Maybe next time we'll do more stirrupless riding and more playing on the phone.

Favorite tree

When TC got injured and then lost it mentally, I really didn't think trail rides were going to be a thing anymore. I was bummed because one of the things I adored about him when I bought him was how solid he was on the trail. I love trail riding, but I don't like doing it so much that I want a horse who needs more miles on the trail. And I don't like dealing with bullshit out in the open.

But TC has been great out there! I'm really looking forward to trail riding either this coming weekend or next weekend. Maybe we'll try a new trail facility at some point too. Still so glad to have this horse back. And on Monday when I rode him, he was sound! Fingers crossed trail riding is a thing we do now.