Making a New Friend and A Big Step Forward All in One Day

~Susan and Ah-D in Maine~

Ah-D sweetly looking at his new trail friend Simba

Early in the morning, Cathy and Simba arrived at our barn to take a trail ride with us.  Everyone was happy and excited, but well behaved, even us gals. 

Champagne is a cool color.  Notice the reflecting tape Cathy has on her trail stirrups.  Good idea!

Because of the impending rain, we decided to stick within a half hour of my house instead of heading off to the middle of nowhere to get soaked.  Cathy and her horse Simba, a champagne TWH (is he a wicked cool color, or what?) had never been on our trails, so everything was new to them.

Through the woods

We were a perfect trail match!  Steep and rocky didn't bother them, nor did streams or muddy places or wide open fields!  We stuck pretty close to my house but covered a lot of ground.  We were up on Back Street when the rain hit, and gaited to my house in about 15 minutes, so we didn't get too wet.

 

The weather was overcast for sure but cool and beautiful rather than hot and muggy, so the deerflies weren't out in droves.  Both Ah-D and Simba were ok with leading or following, and they seemed to tolerate closeness pretty well, too.

Cathy loved The Secret Garden

 

We found our way to The Secret Garden and the big field.  Cathy said Simba wanted to run through the big field, but he didn't.  She uses a comination Mylar bit on him, too.  I have been using a twisted full cheek snaffle which fits on Ah-D's new headstall, but I think I am going to go back to the combination Mylar bit because Ah-D is so responsive in it.

 

 

We will definitely have to ride together again!

 I wore my Dream on Curls tee to get some imaginary points (I am non-competitive, so my points are imaginary). I also wore a 2011 RAC tee out to the movies and a Xquisit Curly Sporthorse shirt on my motorcycle ride on Sunday.  Are you RACers out there promoting? :)

Cathy's kids used to show Percherons at the fairs, and she asked me if Ah-D's buddy Allie pulled my cart.  I replied, "No yet," but her comment kept coming back to me, so later that evening, I headed out to the barn with intention.  Sure enough, Ah-D and Allie were hanging out at the back of the barn and came right in when I opened the door.  I set to work harnessing up Ah-D, so stood like a rock while I harnessed him up.  I could tell he was enjoying the attention.  I brought the cart up behind him and hitched him up.  Still happy, standing still, and enjoying every minute.  I opened the barn door and led him around the side yard, practicing his turns with the cart.  He was so good!!!!!  When I sat in the cart, he turned around and looked at me.  Wow, I wish I had my camera, because he was so darn cute.  We had a great session, and I put him back wanting even more.  I was so excited about it that I couldn't sleep that night.  :)