Usually and Not This Time!

It has been a while since I have blogged, my new job, the flu and an upper respiratory infection have kept me away!   One of the perks of my new job is that I get home much earlier, which gives me time to ride so last Thursday my friend Lara met me at my house.  We loaded up the girls (without having to chase them in order to catch them) and headed to Standing Stone park.  I gave her the choice of which one to ride and she chose Pickles this time.  We discussed what trail we should ride and if we should do the short version or the long version.  We both decided on the short version because my horses are usually more than content to just meander along, especially if it is just them.  We arrived, unloaded, tacked up, mounted and headed down the trail.  To both of our surprise, Shya and Pickles were VERY forward moving.  Usually they fight over who goes first, as in they both want to be in back.  This time Pickles took the lead and moved on down the trail.  We wanted to move out a little faster so I put Shya in the lead because I didn't know how Pix would respond to a new rider.  We started off at a trot and all I had to do was kiss and Shya moved into a canter!  And she was in the lead!  Usually I have to give her constant prodding when she is in the lead, and most the time she will just do her fast extended trot.  Not this time!  I asked Lara if she got to canter also and she said yes, that Pickles did a couple of steps in a trot and broke into a canter.  Miss Pix will do anything to stay at a trot and Mark will have to prod her into a canter, not this time!  We broke into a canter a few more times with Shya in the lead and then we changed it up and put Pix in the lead.  She was in such a forward moving frame of mind that she broke out into a canter of her own accord.  Who were these horses?  One of the reasons my husband doesn't like to ride with just the two of us is because the girls won't go.  We can't get  them into a canter and fight with them the entire time to get them to trot.  And the lead horse is always trying to stop and let the other horse in front.  Not this time!  Lara and I laughed because the ride was over way to soon and we had so much fine.  We kicked ourselves for not riding the longer version.  Sometimes just getting out and trail riding can change a horse, and we have done a lot of it in this past year with our dear friends, Rick and Lara.  I do have to admit it has been quite awhile since Mark and I have tried it on our own so we are going to head out today and see how they do.  I sure I hope I get to say this isn't what they "usually" do and "not this time". 

I love my Curly girls!