New Year's Ride

Happy 2012!

The local show groups are slowly releasing their first dates of the season, and it has me itching to get out and about.  I've been stuck riding at the barn or the surrounding areas because the Big White Truck is out of commission, and my Exploder is technically capable of towing a trailer but it's a rather underwhelming vehicle and if we get above a certain speed, things start rocking and rolling in a most unpleasant way.  It was an unfortunate discovery that I made a few weeks after first getting the car, but at the time we had the other truck and it was not such a big deal.  Now, though, I'd rather not chance it and tow with my car for more than a few miles, and I don't know many people in the area with a spare slot in their trailer -- certainly not many with enough room for a warmblood-sized horse!   Thus, adventuring has been limited to wherever we could "hoof it."

The thing about Jabby is, I've had him for over a year and I've never really taken him anywhere.  I moved him a short distance when we changed boarding facilities and trailered him to another farm to split the vet call when he got his spring shots, but that was over eight months ago.  Everywhere else I've taken him, we've ridden.  Luckily for me his previous career means he did see the inside of a trailer quite frequently, but that's one of those things that everyone does differently, and when you get a new horse, you never really know!

I wasn't too concerned about loading him up and traveling, though.  He'd been easy enough to load into my trailer and hadn't fussed at all.   I just wasn't sure what to expect when we finally did get somewhere new and I first threw a leg over...

After hemming and hawing all morning, at about 2PM I decided I was going for it.  I drove over to the little farm when I was done with work, moved a small batch of hay, and hooked up the trailer -- which thankfully I've been cleaning and checking as part of my CLEAN ALL THE THINGS spree this week.  I took a quick drive up the road to do an unloaded dry-run, and everything still seemed to be in running order.  So I packed my equipment, gave Jabby a quick grooming, and loaded him up.  I took the back roads, driving even more like a granny than usual, and we arrived safe and sound at the Park around 3:15, just me, my rig, and my Moose.

Daylight was in short supply, so I moved as quickly as I could without getting rushed, which would have just made us both antsy. I had packed his cooler but not dressed him with it, so was a bit dismayed to find he was a little chilly when he stepped off the trailer.  I had worried about him overheating, but I guess I underestimated the temperatures!  The cooler went over his haunches as I tacked up.

I didn't see many other vehicles at all, but since hunting is allowed in the WMAs on Sundays now, I dressed to alert any potential hunters as best I could.  I put on an obnoxious reflective vest, and the Moose wore a string of blue and yellow rhythm beads made by a good friend a few years ago.  He was a bit of a looky-loo, and walked away from me at the mounting block (read: trailer fender) once, but on the second try I made it into the saddle and off we went.

** Safety note:  I always keep my cellphone charged and on my person at all times.  However, since I was completely by myself, I called a friend and let them know where I was and where we were heading.  If they couldn't reach me in 45 minutes, they had the go-ahead to call for reinforcements! **

He jigged a little bit at first, and never truly relaxed all the way.  There was much "snorfy snorf" to be had, and the periscope ears were on high alert.  But he listened well, and even lowered his head and neck to walk on a loose rein for a little while. He had trouble halting quietly at first, but did relax enough to stop, look around, and graze when I gave him encouragement.  We walked most of the way, but trotted in short intervals and even had a brief canter uphill where he tucked his butt and got all War Horse on me -- a good sign, as he was having fun!

We only covered about 2.5 miles, so it was really a very short ride!   For today, though, it was just the right amount.  Dusk was drawing close, and with it, the clouds bearing tonight's near-freezing rain.  Any longer and I would have had to feed our farm in the dark! 

About five minutes from the parking lot, a pair of endurance riders trotted up on some fuzzy little Ay-rabs.  They said he was handsome and complimented his condition, which made me squee all down the inside, and when they heard I had brought him for our first outing together all by myself, their reaction was, "Oh!  Oh really?  Well, bless you! What a good boy!"

I agree. :)

They asked if it would be all right to pass by at a trot, and I waved them on, citing a need for education on Jabby's part.   He fussed a little and snuck in a step of trot or two, but for the most part, walked quietly back to the trailer even as the others remained just visible down the trail home.

Better still, we got back to the trailer, and after peeling off my tack, rubbing out his saddle marks, and throwing on his cooler, we were loaded up and pulling out of the driveway before our newest friends were even done making a pitstop at the cabin.   They beamed and waved as we drove past, calling, "Good luck!"  It's nice to have a pack-and-go horse, and nicer still to find people who appreciate it.

 

This park is one of my favorite places in the world, and I'm happy to have now shared it with both of my horses.  Now that I have my permit, and have Jabby's "first" trip out of the way, maybe we'll go back to visiting more often!