Blowing Rock

I trailered Hobbes up to Blowing Rock Equestrian Preserve to meet a couple other people for a real trail ride. If ya'll haven't been up there, its really nice. The trails are all wide carriage paths, so no scary eensy trails to traverse. Plus, the terrain is easy peasy...we did go over a wooden bridge and through a tiny creek, though. I knew practicing over that fake bridge and the puddles in the ring would be worth it one day!

Hobbes was awesome, even though I was nervous. We encountered some things that I just KNEW he was going to freak over and he just stood there and called me a fool...a squeaky carriage pulled by two friesans came trotting up right behind us and all he did was give a little hop forward. We stood and watched them pass like it was no big deal. Now, the large quantities of gaited horses did throw him for a loop. I swear he wanted to attempt the gaiting, when they flew past us he started doing a little jig. It was pretty amusing. We stopped for lunch and I tied him to a hitching post...He looked terribly confused, like "where are my crossties?" He just stood there awkwardly until I untied him and held him and he immediately relaxed. Such a show pony.

The sorta bad stuff that happened: I trailered him in by himself, but we met up with other horses. When we got back to the parking lot to untack, I tied him to my trailer out of sight of the other horses. He was ok, as long as I was there to supervise. He had attempted to sit back when I tied him that morning, so I was worried he'd do it again and didn't want to really tie the rope too tight (I saw him starting to pull back and gave him the eeeennnhhh sound and he quit and walked forward!). When I walked out of sight over to the other horses Hobbes decided he was not supposed to stay there alone. He untied himself and proceeded to wander off...thank God he stepped on his lead rope and someone caught him. Silly horse...but stupid me!

I was so proud of him...when it was time to load up, I didn't have to lunge him in his moon boots (shipping boots) for 15 min. to get him on the trailer. He gave me only one balk and then walked right on (he is not the best loader...even though he's been hauled around his whole life). I had figured he wouldn't be remotely interested in getting back on the trailer after that curvy trip up into the mountains. Plus, I did the worst thing ever on the trip up...I was futzing around with the GPS and felt the tires go over the rumble strips on the highway and immediately JERKED the steering wheel. I am so happy my trailer is so stable or we all would have died, I'm certain. I felt like such an idiot and apologized to Hobbes the rest of the day for trying to kill him. Never again will I not pay attention while hauling a horse. UGH. Scared the &%$#@ out of me. He did try to get me back when he proceeded to have a mini-meltdown when the trailer doors closed and he couldn't see out...and almost nailed me when he was kicking out in the trailer and I didn't have the ramp up yet (he's always done that, boots, wraps, or nothing). That'll teach me to stand behind him while I secure the upper doors.

So, there, I did ride my horse! And he was as good as he always is....minus a few incidents. Gotta keep it interesting!