First Real Trail Ride in Seven Months

Today my friend Susie came over to baby sit Louie and me on a trail ride. She rode my good old girl Marie. Susie got quite a work out with her legs......trying to keep Marie moving along at a decent speed. But, Marie is sure a trustworthy, dependable girl, if not a ball of fire.

Louie was just a bit fidigety being saddled. He ususally is very quite when saddled. But, he wasn't bad. He stood very nice for me to mount up. And right at first he was a little jumpy. Nothing big. Just head up and stepping real quick. But, today I was relaxed enough to just stay on him and work through it. It only took a few minutes for him to settle a bit. The sound of branches hitting my helmet and body still startles him. But once again, no big reaction. He just pops his head up and flinches. So, I made as much noise as I could with the branches. Reaching out and pulling leaves off and shaking them. In the end all he was doing was putting his ears back to listen but he stopped flinching. He just did real well. He followed Marie for about 1/2 a mile or so then just couldn't stand how slow she was walking and asked to take the lead. I let him go and he did great. He went on high alert and snorted at a few suspicious looking rocks and one very suspicious looking downed white birch tree. But, he never missed a step and kept up a good steady fast walking pace. He was real good about walking through the big puddles. He was a bit sticky about crossing two streams with running water. But, once again, not a big deal. At the bigger crossing, I had to Have Susie come back with Marie and stand right in the stream. That gave Louie the courage to step in. At the smaller crossing I got off and led him across only because there was a lot of brush there and I didn't want to get hung up in anything if he didn't make a good straigt crossing. At this one I led him back and forth through the water a few time until he crossed quietly without trying to just jump it. Only took three time to get a quiet crossing. We did a short distance on the road. Up past an aplaca farm where the aplaca are on both sides of the road and close to the road. The school bus passed us there. The bus did not slow down and was very noisy. Louie did just a tiny dance in place at the bus very tiny. He didn't make any big deal over the alpaca's either. Just kept a close eye on them but never hesitated going by.

Louie just really did great. He is just still green and needs some time out on the trail. But, he has a good head on his shoulders and is full of try. By now I should have already had a lot of trail miles on him but his injury in February has put us seven months behind. But, that's ok. He is looking great and going great. Absolutely no signs of lameness. He handled the hill work today beautifully. Powering up the hills and walking nice and steady down hills. No rushing or minching steps. Just a normal easy stride going down.