Red Letter Day with Dashing Big Red

I hauled up to Jasper today, stopping in Buna to get Subway sandwiches.  A man stopped me and asked me about the Brenderup.  LOL  it is an attention getter.   (I paid my board and paid for trailer insurance while I was at it too!)  I picked up Red, Easy and Margaret to ride at Ebenezer.  I backed the trailer up into the alley at Margaret's...woot!!!  We loaded up the boys and off we went to Ebenezer.  This is the first time I have hauled two horses in the Brenderup with my Rav.  It did just fine.  I did feel it sway when my speed inched up around 60.  We were in hilly terrain and the wind was blowing pretty stiff.  I slowed down and the sway stopped.  We got to the park and there was only one trailer there.  It needed to be mowed!!!  We pulled into the public area - not the camping grounds.  We tacked up and I got on from the back ramp.  It worked for me - not a problem at all.

We went to the left in the park and down to where the crossing of water is but we stopped there.  Margaret didn't want to push Easy right away.  So, we dismounted and ate the Subway Sandwiches - why are sandwiches so good out in the gorgeous forest?  It was so quiet today.  We did see a man and a woman coming out of the woods when we went in but that was it!  Anywhoo...I finished my sandwich, turned Red around and said I was going to try to mount by myself.  LOL  I must have lost my mind.  I grabbed a handful of mane and the next thing I knew I was in my saddle!!!  WOOOOOT!!!!!!!!  OMG I was so excited!  It was a Red Letter Day on Dashing Big Red.  Red was eager to go but so easy to work with today.  I was riding in Margaret's bridal and Ronnie's hand plaited reins.  They were very comfortable. 

We started back to the other side of the trails and I stopped and decided to side pass both ways and WOW WEE  Red side passed both ways like a pro.  I was thrilled.  I am sure I look like an idiot but he is sidepassing so well.  I picked up the reins, applied pressure and he just side passes so pretty.  Margaret was filming it with my Flip camera.  I love that thing!

He is handling so good with the new bit.  Going down hill all I had to do was barely touch the reins and he stopped.  No more rushing down hill.  No more holding him back when he gets excited.  He was just fantastic.  We got to the tree where he had always refused.  Margaret went first and Red followed her after some hesitation.  We walked to the end of the land and we took turns taking pictures of each other with the lake in the background.  We headed back and I asked Red to go over the log...he refused and I was spurring him...nothing but refuse.  Margaret took Easy over it...and he has never been there and over he went.  I asked Red again and he was refusing and I was spurring him.  Finally when I thought I was going to have to get off and get Margaret to get him over it, he LEAPED over the tree from a stand still.  My God, he should have been a hunter jumper because Red can jump!!!!    Good thing I was in my Aussie saddle and it has Poleys.  I was safe and secure and not going over Red's left shoulder!!!  Woot!!!  We rode up and down the hills and Red went slowly as commanded.  He wanted to go faster.  At one point he literally galloped up a hill.  It was only about 5 strides but he was not trotting or walking!  He is a darling and we did trot some and he kept his pace better with a smooch kiss command. 

We got to Margaret's and I cleaned his feet and gave him a bath and on the walker he went.  He walked for an hour on the walker this morning and we rode about 3 or 3.5 hours today.  Woot.  He will be in shape in no time.