Monday, January 2, 2012

1st Ride of the Year and a Solo Ride - A Red Letter Day!!

Kellie and I went on our first ride of the year today.  It was a red letter day for Biscuit and for me.  I went out to the pasture and put his biothane halter on and loaded him up - had to get the whip out but didn't have to use it.  The trailer bumping really bothered him - I have sprayed it with WD40 3 times now.

I hauled out to Tyrrell Park arriving exactly at the same time as Kellie - she turned in and opened the gate and I pulled in and closed the gate.  Perfect timing!  The wind was blowing hard but it was a beautiful clear blue sky and it was about 55 degrees and the wind was blowing about 19 mph and gusting to 24 mph.  Thank God it settled down just before we walked into the woods.  We tacked up and were on our way.  We walked down to past the second ride away and there was a huge tree down laying in the road like a middle barrier.  We trotted some and I filmed a little with my Roam Camera I bought.  I love it!  Such clear pictures!  We came all the way around and kept going.  Biscuit wanted to go out to the trailer and we had a little skirmish but nothing big.  We went down and turned left at a ride away.  Elan stopped about 30 yards in to look around and I was able to keep Biscuit moving.  That is a good thing.  He always wants to stop and turn and he and I worked on that Saturday and today.  We turned right on the trail and kept going.  Elan stopped to checked things out and again, I was able to keep Biscuit moving for the most part.  I was thrilled with him.  Such a good boy!


Biscuit trotting in Tyrrell Park  
Check out this video of us trotting in the park on my Contour Roam Video Camera!


We went out on the bayou and Biscuit still hasn't forgotten the day that he tangled his left hoof in branches.  He is always suspicious of that area - moving carefully and very alert.  Kellie and I laughed about it because he simply hasn't gotten over it!

We went down a little ways and Elan stopped and Biscuit wanted to stop and I kept after him to keep moving forward and he did...going s-l-o-w-l-y and skewing to the left but he was moving forward.  I was so proud of him. I was singing to him and Kellie come trotting up behind me saying Elan was a little startled by the singing.....that was funny and I don't blame him.  I can't carry a tune in a bucket!!

We went down a ride away and back up the overgrown on.  We headed back for the woods and my Garmin died about .5 miles from the trailer.  Ugh....I left it on accidentally this weekend so I ran down the batteries.  I may look at getting rechargeable batteries.  I am sick of buying batteries for it.

Kellie had stuff to do so I told her I was going to ride a round solo.  We got to the trail head and Kellie went out and Biscuit wanted to follow.  He and I had a test of wills...backing up...circling, urging forward...refusing to go forward, more backing up until he decided the old girl wasn't giving up and he moved forward to the right side of the park.  He settled down and walked on.  I got around the first corner and then urged him into a trot.  It took a bit to convince him but once he started he was rearing to go.  Good boy!!!   We kept up the trot around the woods which is 1.8 miles.  He was trotting at about 7.5 mph and heart rate topped at 118.  We got up to the trail head and he wanted to go out.  Kellie was still there so I wasn't going to go around again.  Biscuit and I had another skirmish...backing up, circling, urging forward while he was going backwards but I won.  Forward he went for about 20 yards and turned him around to go past trail head again.  Another skirmish that I eventually won.  We went back and forth about 5 times and ended with his butt pointing to the trail head and his nose in the rough.  I want him to totally disregard the trail head unless I ask him to find it.  He did a fantastic job today.  I was so proud of him!

I took his tack off and gave him two treats and took two to Elan.  He was in the trailer so I asked Kellie to give them to him and he dropped his head below the divider to let me know he could still have treats.  He is such a funny guy!!!  Such a funny personality!

Kellie headed out and I was pulling up to the gate when Kenny drove up.  I got out to speak to him and give him a New Years hug.  I told him about Biscuit laying down on the trail and he said he had never known him to do that.  We talked about when he laid in the water but this was different.  Kenny was as surprised as I was.  I hauled Biscuit back to the ranch and he rolled in the dirt and took off for a drink.

Today was a red letter day.  I was able to get Biscuit to keep going even when other horses stop.  I was able to make him go even when the other horse was going towards the trailers.  And best of all, I rode the trail by myself.  I did once with Red but the last time I tried with Biscuit I had to walk him out as he flat our refused to go.  Woo Hoo...I may turn into Annie Oakley!

Barry rode Sarge Thursday for several hours.  He went all over Tyrrell Park and seemed to have had a great time.  I know Sarge likes to GO!!


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