Up to this point I had no idea what I was going to do with Phoenix but it occurred to me to take my girl on a trail ride. We both love trail rides and it has been awhile since we have taken one. Plus we were getting too stressed out in the arena and needed a break. I locked the fence behind me and we hit the trails.
I had no clue where I was going because I'd never been trail riding around here before so I just headed out down the dirt road and continued on for miles till I came to a fence and then I turned and ran down the fence line until I got cut off again and at this point I headed back. I started off walking and trotting and as I relaxed and realized that Phoenix was doing fine I loped her when it was safe. She did great and listened to all of my cues. There was no spooking at random noises or jack rabbits bouncing across our path and Phoenix did fine weaving through the thick brambles (I got a little scratched up haha) and over deep dips.
I had a great time and Phoenix was a perfect horse. It really made me feel better and was just what we needed, a stress free day out of the arena to run around and have fun. Here are some short videos I took while on our way back home.
We went a total of 7 miles (according to my phone) and Phoenix was only a little sweaty when we got back while I was tired and feeling a little light headed haha. I think I need to start trail riding more often again. I let myself back onto the property and hosed my girl down and let her out into the cow pasture. Robin got a new herd of cows the other day so I was pretty sure they wouldn't be aggressive and Phoenix totally ignored them and the cows even started hanging around her.
I was going to ride Oakie since I had a lot of time still left at the ranch but I realized that Robin took him to Mormon Lake with her. She gave me permission to ride the palomino and I was excited to gain more experience by riding another new horse.
I groomed the palomino and put my Western saddle on her. I put a headstall with a snaffle bit on her and we headed to the arena.
I mounted up and took a few minutes to get used to how she rides and then worked her around the arena at all of the gaits in both directions. She is heavy in the bit and works kind of like Phoenix. I keep pressure on her inside rein and leg to keep her bending towards the inside. We got both of our leads correct the first time and I worked on stops. The first time she slowed down to a stop but then I really focused on sitting down and back and then after that I got her to stop better. She takes constant pressure for control but she was super fun to ride and I felt so tall on her haha.
I walked out the palomino and cooled her off and then put her back into her stall. I brought Phoenix's tack into the pasture and tacked her back up and got on. I really wanted to try chasing the cows but I couldn't get them through the gate into the pens so I tried chasing them in with Phoenix. We did a lot of running and some cutting them off and getting scratched in the brambly trees and it ended with no cows in the pen and Phoenix and I leaving them be.
I ended up taking Phoenix into the arena to work with her getting used to the rope because competition season is coming up and I want to be able to do breakaway off her. I rubbed and swung the rope around her and then hopped on. Here is what happened haha.
I decided to work with the rope on the ground more since I didn't feel safe messing around with it in the saddle yet.
I looped the rope over her neck and lifted her feet up and through the loop so the rope was around her middle. We have done this before where she bucked in Yuma but it was good for her to get used to learning that the rope being around her isn't going to hurt her. I made the mistake of doing this without a halter so when she ran around and pulled on the rope I had nothing to use to guide her except for the rope and she broke free and ran around the arena.
Phoenix eventually slowed down to a stop and I walked over to her and slid the rope down her hind end and let her walk out of the loop. I wanted to do more work with her but my dad had arrived and I had to go so to be continued tomorrow.
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