Great ride today!

It's January and 60+ degrees in Texas.  Gotta love it.  I had to take the opportunity to get out and ride.

Rachael was happy for the attention.  I had to re-clinch some of the nails in her front feet.  I heard a clicking sound as she walked, and figured that wasn't good.  I tightened up the nails as best I could, and hoped for the best.  I think it's time to have the farrier back out to re-set the shoes.  I sure wish I had the mastery of that skill to do it for myself (and the toned muscles to be able to do the job without being plain tuckered out).

The ride was good.  Beautiful scenery, and nothing eventful happening.  I really had a good time.  I rode with 2 friends from my saddle club right here in Campbell. 

After the ride, I got to help my friend Ann with her new horse.  She rescued a horse about 6 months ago.  It was in a field and just all ribs, so one day she saw someone in the field and she stopped and asked if she could have the poor starving horse.  They agreed and so Ann has spent the last 6 months putting groceries in her belly.  She's fattened up nicely.  She's over 25 years old, and Ann is trying to see what exactly she can do.  Ann is really good at working her horses, and she had lunged this horse without any problem.  Well, today Ann wanted to try and actually ride her in a round pen.  I could tell that both she and our friend Linda (who is also an AWESOME horse woman) were a little hesitant at the thought of hopping on this horses back for the first time.  So I volunteered, cuz I'm young, stupid, and ignorant.  ;)

She lunged great.  When I stopped her from lunging in one direction, she immediately faced me, and then went the other direction.  We all cracked a smile, cuz that behavior meant that this horse has been worked in a round pen quite a bit in her life.  We slowly worked up and eventually I was in the saddle, and riding.  She did really well.  She had a funny gate that I sure wasn't use to.  I was real proud of her.  The only scary moment for me was once when I asked her to move and she busted out into a full lope.  It wasn't her fault though.  I tell my girls to step off by kissing at them.  I've become aware that many trainers use the kiss noise to move a horse from a walk to a lope.  So ... I figure this was the case.  I had to make sure I clicked (which was hard for me).

Sure was a good day.  Always is a good day when it's over 60, sun shining, and playing with horses.