Riding in Yarmouth

Today was going to be such a lovely day I just had to get out for a ride. Hunting season or no hunting season. Now, just to find someone to go with me and a fairly safe place to ride. My first thought was Bradbury Mountain as there is no hunting allowed on the mountain side of the park.

This being Friday and a work day for most, most of my friends would not be available to ride. I called my friend Linda as she is retired but she was busy. After thinking a bit more I thought of Mary Ellen Hesselbacher. I have not ridden with her all year and that is why she didn't come to mind at first. She and her husband own a motel in Yarmouth so quite often one or the other can ride if not both. I called her and much to my delight, she was able to go. We discussed possible safe places to ride and decided on some trails she knows of in Yarmouth. The trails are close to a residential area and she said there is not much hunting there. So, I told her I would pick her up. And I would finally get to meet her new horse Hillbilly. Well, not so new anymore really as she'd gotten him in the spring...or last fall.....or....see, it had been way to long since we'd ridden together.

I went out and got Louie praying he'd load ok. And, he was quite good. He was reluctant to approach the trailer. When I got him to the trailer, I just stopped and gave him a good grooming as he was filthy! That relaxed him some. Then when I asked him to load up, he went right up to the trailer and stopped and made the funniest faces to let me know he did NOT want to load. He drooped his ears over sideways, stuck his lower lip out, turned his head sideways and rolled his eyes. It was quite a display. But then he walked on quietly and went right to his usual pawing. So, he was good and I got some entertainment too!

When I got to Mary Ellen's, she had Hillbilly all ready and saddled. She didn't know if he'd ever seen a mule before or not. And he was not yet a totally reliable loader. He is a nice horse. A big 5 year old Tennessee Walker gelding. He had to think a while about getting on my trailer but no more then 5 minutes or so. We parked at a friends of Mary Ellen's who's place is right on the trails. I quickly tacked up Louie. Or as quick as I could with him bug eyed and prancing back and forth at the new place and new horse etc.

When I mounted up, Louie was nervous. And it took a while for him to settle down. BUT, he didn't do a single wrong thing. We did quite a bit of trotting. Nice easy slow trotting and Louie did great. At one point I asked him to canter. The first time I asked, he immediately started them came right back down with a kind of "are you sure this is what you want me to do" feel to him. (we have not cantered since my fall) When I asked him again with more confidence he immediately picked up a canter and it was LOVELY! Nice and easy with no rushing. When he came up close behind Hillbilly who was trotting, he slowed down but kept a canter. SO smooth and balanced. SO, I very lightly checked him back and he slowed that canter down even more into a very slow 3 beat QH type canter. It was very cool! My QH can't do this!!! I was amazed that he was able to collect like this so easily. We came across a family out walking with 4 dogs. The dogs were not well controlled or obedient so ran around us barking. But, Hillbilly and Louie were good. Louie was more concerned with the young girl wearing the bright orange vest but didn't so more then stare hard at her and hesitate slightly passing. He did prance a bit when we passed but was easy to hold. We met several others out walking also and even came across the family with the dogs a second time. Louie and Hillbilly both loaded up good to go home.

It was a wonderful ride and once again my little mule surprised me. He keeps doing that and I am really thinking there is more to this mule then I originally thought. He sure is a joy to be around and has been a lot of fun to ride so far. I'm glad I didn't sell him and am looking forward to getting to know him under saddle finally.