Happy Canada Day!

How was your Canada Day? Rob was sweet enough to haul Carole and I to the Blackfoot Trail to go riding. I took Dexter so that he could get out without being at a show. This was actually my first time ever hauling a horse to go trail riding, and my first visit to the Blackfoot, but hopefully we can get there more. We went in the morning to beat the crowds, getting there around 10:30, and proceeded to tack our horses up.

I had Dexter's saddle on, and then heard Carole behind me saddling Tonka...and realizing her saddle didn't have any stirrups! She had taken them off to put on a saddle she had on trial. So we both looked at the two other trailers in the lot, thinking maybe someone would have stirrups and leathers, but they were both off riding, and we didn't really want to go back without riding...so Carole rode for the 2 and a half hours without stirrups! I am sure she will feel that tomorrow...

The ride was fun though. Dexter's walk is faster than Tonka, so poor Tonka bounced Carol by jogging although I tried to slow Dexter down. We went up and down hills, through fields, and over bridges. Dexter was hesitant at the first bridge, but good at the second. It was nice to have a brave horse like Tonka with us to help Dexter out though. Dexter's biggest fear wasn't the bridges though...it was the trees/logs that were cut and placed so the cut section was pointed towards the trail...no idea why that was so frightenning. He was also concerned by one of the groups of riders we met as we went past a swamp. For a moment I was worried he was going to back into the swamp!

By the time we got back to the trailer the parking lot was full of horse trailers so we had been wise to go earlier. Both horses are horses were sweaty, but acted like they would have been happy to keep going. First thing they both did when they got home though was roll and then go prancing off. I am hoping that means they enjoyed their day too!

Karen