So. Much. Climbing.

So last we left off with TC's weekly trail riding, I'd said that TC was kind of bored with our short loop at HBR. The short loop is perfect for me though, I can haul out to the trail, do a solid 4 miles, then haul back without ever losing signal and without it taking longer than 2.5 hours. That's pretty awesome. I can easily take a "long lunch" and do that on a weekday (there's also good signal there so I can respond to emails and messages), which opens up weekends for lessons and clinics or giving him a day off and having fun with my family or my SO. 

This last weekend it didn't work to have a lesson with my old trainer, so last minute, we had most of a day free! I decided to take TC out to Calero County Park and let him experience a new trail for the first time in a while!

What I thought was the top when we started climbing

Best pony! We had to duck under that branch up
ahead there

The ride out there was kind of stressful. The roads leading there are a bit narrow and winding and I expected to lose signal for most of it. I just went slowly and it was fine, but it took us about an hour to get over there. By the time we got there, I was the tiniest bit shaken but glad to see that I had signal in the park. 

TC is always on board with whatever emotion I'm experiencing, especially if there's adrenaline involved, so he decided to spook at just about everything getting out to the trail entrance. I had to get off of him to lead him through the entrance because it was very narrow and he likes to bolt through small spaces and I was concerned for my legs. 

We finally got going and he remained a bit spooky. I realized that I don't think he's ever been to this trail facility! Certainly not with me, so the only time he might have gone was on the very few trail rides he did off the property before I rode him (I knew he'd been on at least one trail ride at HBR) so mayyybe he'd been there, but it would have been 6.5 years ago. He did eventually settle, mostly because of how exhausting the climbing was. 

One side of the reservoir

The other side!

I had looked up some trails there and found a loop that was relatively short, about 3.5 miles, and the trail guide said that it was "moderate" which is also what our normal loop is classified as. TC would like to report that this trail was STRENUOUS the first 30 minutes. 

We walked up and down some relatively steep rolling hills, then we climbed for like... twenty minutes at least, maybe thirty. And the hill (mountain??) was no joke, it was steep! We got to what I thought was nearly the top but turned out to be about a third of the way there. Then we did another third to what I again thought was the top, nope. And finally we reached the actual top and there was an option to do a longer loop and climb even more! TC and I both decided to not go on that loop. 

Coming down was great though, although wow do I just adore this horse on the trail even if he spooked at every rock that was out there just for funzies. He is 0% afraid of bicycles and 100% interested in putting his head into every cyclist's business. The trail was rather narrow for bikes to pass us, so we frequently had to step very slightly to the side and let them pass. I mean, if I was a weirdo and wanted to pat the cyclists on their helmets as they passed, I would have been able to do that without having to lean over. We probably passed at least 10 bicycles like this! Such a good egg. 

I love the green hills 

There were people fishing in this small pond and
TC has never seen fishing! He was worried at
first but then wanted to go over to them

The only non-rock he spooked at was a couple of people who didn't understand horses. They stopped, which I don't require but I understand that they might feel more comfortable stopping. Then the woman decided to take her polite-ness to another level and step behind the man. She obviously didn't want to disturb the horse, so she very very slowly and quietly creeped up the hill behind the man. 

To TC, she was obviously a mountain lion. I apologized and had to ask her to stop moving, which they didn't hear or something, but they did start walking along the path again so that's good. 

We got done and as much climbing as that was, he was not even sweaty! It wasn't super warm and it was a bit windy, so that probably helped. But I'm glad that he's getting so much stronger with all this trail riding. 

I think the constant in and out of shade made him
spook at the rocks, light and shadows is hard for him

My favorite trail partner

The drive back was uneventful and I felt more confident driving back, so that's good. I think we need to do this more often! Go to new facilities and go on new trails. It takes a little longer and is less predictable signal-wise, so we probably can't go on the weekdays, but certainly if we trail ride on the weekends, we'll be out at new facilities. 

And he's strong enough now where I don't worry that much about accidentally going on a trail that's too rigorous/hilly. He can handle it as long as we keep up the good work on the trails!