Riding on the Beach

Kellie and I made plans to ride on the beach Sunday October 20th.  She was going to pick me up at the barn but Bev and James decided to go with us so we were all going to meet at Tyrrell Park at 8:30.  I got up at 6:25 am and left the house around 7:00.  I never know how long it will take to catch Biscuit if necessary and hook up the trailer if it is being cranky in the soft soil.  I have been leaving it at the barn.

I packed up my lunch, 5 carrots for the horses, drinks, cameras, Garmin and extra clothing as it was supposed to be pretty dang chilly :-)   When I stepped outside it was cool but nice.  I stopped at the barn and got Biscuit's breakfast.  I got out at the pasture and had 2 carrots with me.  There was standing water and I kind of lost my balance and ended up stepping into the water ugh.  My boots are waterproofed but not totally!  I certainly didn't want to get my feet wet and cold!  Biscuit stood outside of the little corral - LOL I don't think he wanted to get his feet wet!  He hates walking in mud and avoids it if he can.  I gave Sarge some of the carrot and went around the mud and used Sarge's halter that was hanging on the corral panel to put on Biscuit.  He didn't give me any fuss.  I gave him carrots and hugged him up.  I tied him to the trailer while I backed up my RAV4 and hitched it up.  I noticed Biscuit has already started his winter coat and that is from Wednesday when I last saw him! I loaded him up and hauled out to Tyrrell Park.  I stopped at The Cracker Barrel to use the rest room and to buy some Burt's Bee's lip balm.  We then went on to the park.  I backed up into our "winter" spot closest to the trail head so I wouldn't be in anyone's way that came into the stable/office area.

At Tyrrell Park looking like a million bucks

I brushed Biscuit while waiting for Kellie and when she arrived she loaded my stuff bless her heart.  We headed out for the beach - James and Bev decided not to go.  We arrived at the beach and saddled up.  OMG the cockleburs were unfreaking believable.  We mounted up and headed out to the beach.  We got to the end of the road and Elan spooked at the restroom port a potty that is in a little wooden building.  LOL  Kellie couldn't get him to walk up to it at first until I got Biscuit to walk up to it.  Biscuit didn't see what spooked him so he wasn't bothered by it.  We went to the left for the first time ever.  We always ride to the right towards Galveston.  We rode along on a little sandbar for a good ways.  Biscuit was a little angel the entire ride.  We did a little trotting and cantered a little way but I am not balanced enough to canter well so we stopped.  We rode out 4 miles and turned around.  Elan wasn't a happy camper and kept trying to turn around and go the other way.  He wasn't convinced that was the way to the trailer.  LOL that is because every time we go to the beach we are going in a different direction on the way back.  The entire way back he was trying to turn around and walking so slow.

Biscuit, on the other hand, discovered that the beach is a great place
to trick or treat even if it is not Halloween.  He went up to some people and they were more than happy to give him a treat of pretzels and potato chips in exchange for petting him.  Biscuit thought that was just fantastic.  Everyone he saw after that, especially if they had a bucket, was hit up for a treat.  Kellie and I laughed at him and said he had no shame at all.  He got a treat of several flour tortillas.  Elan didn't care for the tortillas...they must have been to him like licorice always was to me....YUK!  Biscuit's last treat was a handful of trail mix with dried fruit and nuts...yummy!  He was loved up and petted by several people.  It was nice to see he is trusting of people now where he didn't used to be.

A black lab escaped his owner from the back of a golf cart and came running at us barking like crazy.  I turned Biscuit to face him and he and Elan just ignored the dog.  Owner of the dog wasn't too happy his dog didn't listen to him ... he didn't speak to us - just got the dog in the cart and he looked totally ticked off.  LOL no harm done to horses, people or dog so it was a good training session!

We got back to the fire station and got out their bag of hay.  Biscuit's had bahaia and alfalfa.  Elan wanted to share with him.  Kellie said you don't like that yukky hay and I said but he likes alfalfa!  Biscuit was doing all kinds of gymnastics to get to the alfalfa in the back side of the bag.

We rode 8 miles-the weather was perfect.  Sunshine, mild temps, clear blue skies.  What could have been better.   It did my soul a world of good.