Trail Ride

   Phoenix was already eating her dinner when I arrived at the ranch today, so I brushed her down in her stall and then pulled her out to tack her up in her Western saddle and snaffle bit.  Here is the insta post I made haha.

English bridle with a western saddle cause I'm dope like that 😂😂 or just too lazy to switch my snaffle to a western headstall 😉

  I hopped on my girl and headed behind the ranch to go on our trail ride.  Phoenix was calm and I started out walking her on a loose rein.  After a few minutes of walking, we trotted and that is when I had to keep checking my girl because Phoenix loves to run on while we are out on the trail (or anywhere haha).  I let her lope until we got close to the road crossing and then we slowed down to a walk so we could safely cross.  Here is a loping video.

   This is where we came upon the pasture of minis that gave us some trouble on our ride last week.  Phoenix got a little nervous and kept stopping to look over at the horses who had come up to the fence (which means I had to keep kicking my girl to get her to continue down the dirt road) but we got by it in a few minutes without any major spooking or problems.  

   We continued trotting down the dirt road until we passed where we had played around in the water last week and since Phoenix was being so good, I let her lope down the rest of the road.  We actually made it a couple of miles down the road when we came to the end of it.  It let out onto a major road and across the street was a neighborhood.  I decided to turn around then because it wasn't the best place to continue on riding and my dad was going to be pick me up in about half an hour.  

   Though I was mad at myself for struggling with obtaining the correct riding position the whole time, I was proud of my girl for behaving and listening well and not spooking at all.  I was able to relax more than usual and I am getting more confident riding Phoenix on a loose rein due to her behavior lately.  

   Our only trouble spot passing the mini pasture again.  It's so funny that Phoenix will just look a little at the pasture and continue on her way on the way out and then she will tense and raise her head up and start dancing around on the way back.  Phoenix was definitely a lot more spooky on the way back to the ranch passing the mini pasture and kept freaking out when one moved, but I got her past without dismounting this time and we continued across the road and towards the ranch.  

Phoenix was saying "mommy, why do we have to stop before crossing the road?" 

   Here are some pics I got of my girl in some of the pretty Yuma fields.  Phoenix kept trying to eat the stalks, but I pulled her head up because it isn't ours to eat and I didn't want her to get herself sick.  

  And I might've taken a few selfies on our walk back down the road to the ranch.  

   And it only gets worse haha.  Here is a glimpse at the karaoke poor Phoenix had to listen to while we were walking (it's kind of hard to sing on horseback going any faster than that).

   I brushed Phoenix down really well when we got back to the ranch because she was barely sweaty and the hose was being used to fill waters.  I put corona on the fresh scar I noticed on my girl's lower back when I brushed her earlier and I also put some on her hind right leg on a scar from last week.  

I have to use this stuff way more than I should haha.  I think my horse is a clutz like me
And maybe a little rambunctious with the herd

  I put my girl up and went to go look at the colts born a month or so ago in the pasture.  They are so cute and getting quite curious.  One of the colts grabbed the hose that was filling the water trough and started tugging on it.  When Jim went over to the trough to switch the hose, the colt ran and bucked haha.  They have quite the spunk.  I want to train one so bad.  One day...