First Trail Ride in about a month

Last Saturday I went out for a ride with another boarder.  It was scheduled to be about 1.5 hour ride. We went across the field to the bridge over Appleton rd.  We came across our first bikers before hitting the bridge.  We stopped and let them go by. Mona didn't even flinch.  She did well over the bridge.  We took a new trail across from the park's parking lot.  We came across bikers.  As long a Mona could see them come and go she was good.  One time we rode away as the biker was riding away and Mona spooked up to Taj. He took it like a champ.  The next time we tried this Mona practically spooked into a tree.  It's then I realized that, duh, I needed to stop and let her watch the bike drive away.  It was a beautiful day and this trail is a great trail for bikers.  (Also a great trail for shoeless horses with sensitive feet - Taj was shoeless and didn't take one bad step) Our goal was to go to the covered bridge.  We came to a spot where we were pretty sure we had missed the trail that went to the bridge.  We decided to turn around and try to find it.  We must have turned the horses around at least 3 times before we located it!  They were both troopers and took it all in stride.  When we went to turn on the trail, Mona and I stopped and Taj stopped right behind Mona.  She kicked a warning shot at him that he was too close.  She never did that to him.  I was worried that she and Taj wouldn't be able to walk side by side any more.  No worries. They did just fine. When going down the upper trail that goes along the river, I remembered the last time I rode that trail.  I was on Gene and there were dogs and he ended up moving backwards.  Not cool as there is a pretty sharp drop there.  Thankfully Sara was able to walk up to us and coax Gene forward by taking the lead.  YAY Sara and Peanut! : D  (That was the first time Sara and Peanut led on trail.  That was a few years ago.  Now Sara and Peanut ride solo.) Mona still spooks going through the covered bridge.  The echoing sound of their feet has her trotting.  Once she comes out she is good.  This time there was a car coming into the parking area. She must have thought it was chasing her as she gave a little trot.  She calmed down.  Then a park ranger was coming down the road in a pickup truck.  Mona was trotty.  I was trying to stop her and get her to look at the truck.  The woman driving came up slowly and talked to me.  Once Mona saw the truck she calmed down.  The driver said she saw Mona's ears go back and realized she was worried.  So nice :)  Then walking over the other bridge - Mona trotted a bit here as well.  Nothing big.  We ventured out on another trail and ended up in a field.  We trotted through the field Mona easily pulling ahead.  We missed the entrance of the trail and had to turn around.  I still need work on being comfortable trotting in open fields.  Now that Mona has gotten some speed she was all ready to keep trotting.  Over all though she stayed at a walk really well.  We ended up on part of the green trail and came to the field.  This time we agreed to keep it at a walk.  Mona listened very well.  As we came up to the Appleton bridge we came upon riders Taj's rider knew and she asked if it was OK if we went down to say hi.  I'm game!  Mona on the other hand took forever to get down to the trailers.  We did make it though.  I'm just as stubborn as she.  LOL Then we went back up to go over the Appleton bridge.  She walked over no problems.  We walked back through the field.    Somewhere in there we took over the lead.  Even though I haven't ridden Mona on trail in about a month, she did really well.  We ended up out for about 2.5 hours.  I'm really glad I had been lunging her almost every weekend.  She was just starting to act tired near the end.  Good to know she has the stamina for a 3 hour ride not a problem if I chose. : )  I love my girl!

Winter

Yesterday I went out to see Mona.  I think I heard it was a whopping 8 degrees with the wind chill factor.  Plan was to condition and brush her mane and tail then take her for a hike in Fair Hill.  Shortly after I arrived Sara text me they were on their way as well.  It turned out we took both Peanut and Mona out on a hike.  I wanted to work with Mona on the hill where apparently all the evil in Fair Hill lives.  Mona went up the hill with me lunging her in cirlces and slowly working our way up.  At one point I just stopped and had her walk/trot in cirlces hoping she would want to walk in a straight line.  I couldn't get her to take more than a couple steps then she would spook and I'd have to pull her back into a cirlce.  I have some ideas on how to work with her including to just spend a lot of time on the hill.  Walking down the hill I was able to get her to walk a few steps then ask her to stop and drop her head. I let her eat a few bites of grass then repeated.  She didn't give one stride of trot on the way down.  Progress!

Ring Work

For the last few weeks I have been working with Mona in the ring.  I am working on training Mona to learn a canter cue in the saddle.  The last 2 weeks she has responded wonderfuly on the lunge line.  I'm trying to let the height of the whip tell her how fast her stride should be.  I'd have to say she is responding very nicely.  I just wish I had a better seat to ride her.  I really need many more long rides on her to help.  Last weekend I did ride her in the ring a bit after lunging.  Trying to get her to stay in frame at the walk...  We need so much work.  Hoping to get out this weekend to work with her again.  Snow in the forcast and my mother in law visiting may interfere.  I'm looking forward to longer days...

Slacking

Well, Mona and I have been on a few adventures since I last stopped in here.  One that I remember the most is where we were riding with some peeps from the barn.  We were coming out of the woods on top of the hill where Mona has been spooking.  Just as we pop out a big gust of wind came out of nowhere.  Mona freaked out and took off a few strides with me before I was able to stop her.  One of the other mares had already completely lost her marbles.  I worked Mona down the hill slowly, turning her a few times.  When we reached the bottom I took a deep breath and realized I was shaking.  I can't ever remember feeling like that on any horse.  I continued to ride and breath and Mona relaxed a bit as well.  The other mare not so much.  The other rider ended up positioning her horse right behind Mona.  Mona and I were now leading back to the barn.  Mona was still worried but able to work through it.  I really need to give Mona more credit and trust than I do.  I'm learning so much with each ride.