Our First Solo Ride

I took Lily out for our first solo ride today! I've long been putting it off. I just have not had the confidence I once had since I had my accident 4 or 5 years ago. And with Lily being so green when I got her, I just have not been able to work up to going out alone with her. But, she has been such a good girl for me and has so far proven to have a willing disposition and sane mind, I knew it was time to just get out there and do it. And what impresses me even more about Lily is even though she is still fairly inexperienced, she does not feed off me when I get nervous. She has enough confidence that she goes along nice and steady no matter what I'm doing in the saddle or how nervous I get occasionally. I KNOW she knows when I'm nervous but she takes care of me.

It was a cool morning and a bit windy but sunny and I knew it would be nice on the trail. When I got the the barn, I had to round up the girls with Delbert's ATV from the pasture down by the road. When I went out to catch Lily, she came right up and stuck her head right in the halter. Good sign for a good day. She was quiet when I saddled her. Another good sign of her being in a good mood. I decided not to mount up in the yard. I was sure there would be some point on the trail we'd have a difference of opinion on our direction of travel but didn't want to start the ride that way. So I led her away from the barn along the north trail. She led away from the barn willingly and the other benefit of doing this was there were a lot of branches down along the trail that have long been needed to be picked up so I got to do some trail clean up. AND, we did a lot of walking, stopping, standing quiet while I moved branches, keeping a respectful distance. Lily did great and was very patient with all this. I walked her down to the creek and mounted up there. She stood perfectly still to let me mount and get settled. We rode off with no protest from Lily at all. Even when I lost the trail a couple times right off, due to the leaves down on the ground, and had to retrace a bit, Lily just went where I asked her to go. We followed lower trail 185 along the creek to 005 and on to Initial Tree. When we came to the first muddy spot with a little bit of standing water that had a skim of ice over it, Lily had to stop and look that over thoroughly but decided to be brave and go though. Lily did hesitate a little at each trail intersection hoping to turn home but didn't fuss when I asked to walk on the way we were going. The shady spot between the bluff walls along the creek just coming into Initial Tree had icicles hanging off the rocks and it was so pretty. We got into Initial tree and no one was there. Lily's never been there alone as was looking around wondering were other equines were. I got off and tied her on the high line so I could use the ladies room and Lily pawed just a bit in protest at being there alone but it was a half hearted effort.

Lily stood quietly as I mounted up but when I pointed her in the direction of the Indian Wall trail, that was our one and only big disagreement. I knew this was bound to happen somewhere in the ride and was surprised it took her so long to do it. She refused to move in that direction so we had to do multiple circles and had to swat her with the end of the reins a few times. She kept her feet on the ground throughout our "discussion" on direction and once I got her moving the way I wanted to go, she gave up the fight completely and never questioned our direction of travel again. We rode out to Blackridge Rd. by way of the Indian Wall trail and then turned right onto the 1683, the wagon trail, towards Double M Campround. That was the one and only time Lily spooked and it was a BIG one. It came right out of the blue with no warning. We had just started up the trail and in a split second Lily did an explosive 180 degree turn and we were heading back the way we came. I first registered I was still solidly in the saddle as she thankfully had not dropped her shoulder when she spun. As soon as I picked up on the reins she stopped right away. I turned her around and headed her back down the wagon trail and she did not hesitate at all and we continued on our way with Lily not seeming to have any concern. Not sure what caused her to spook but she was over it as quick as it happened. We took trail 184 at the little pond near Double M. That trail is very pretty and does a bunch of switchbacks eventually coming out on  Blackridge Rd. at the Black's Cabin road. Lily power walked the whole was but was on a lose rein not breaking gait at all. This girl has a big motor and really can really walk out and eat up some trail. We did 7.5 miles and were out 2.5 hrs. including our stop at Initial tree. It was a great ride and I am extremely pleased with how Lily did today.