Loading Lokey and taking a ride

Biscuit tacked up and ready to go

Lokey after his ride

Allison and Lokey at the Picnic Table Turnaround Trail

Biscuit after his ride

Allison and Lokey

Allison and I decided to go for a ride today.  I met her out at the barn around 10:00.  She was trying to catch Lokey.  He was running around the pasture.  I hauled back to the barn and got alfalfa and Safe Choice!  When I got back down the road she had finally caught him.

We tried to load him there at his paddock but he wasn't going for it.  We hauled down to Biscuit's area and got him and loaded him up hoping Lokey would join him.  No...he wasn't!  We unloaded the Biscuit and enticed him with alfalfa and feed. After a while he loaded up and wasn't upset when I moved the divider over and put up the butt bar.  It took all together, chasing in paddock and loading up 1 hour.  Not too bad.  Probably worked 40 minute on loading up.

We loaded Allison's tack and headed for the park.  We unloaded Lokey first and he was ok with it.  I walked Biscuit over to see Cutter and then started tacking him up.  I put his heart monitor on after cleaning his hooves and brushing him.  All his tack went on easily and he was a good boy today.

Mounted up and he stopped until Lokey started moving and he moved on out.  Thank God.  He was very forward today.  We walked the entire woods and turned around to go back so the ride looked different.  We wanted to make sure Lokey was a happy camper.  We later trotted and Biscuit did a terrific job.  We got to the trail head and he wanted to go out.  It was a back up back up back up moment.  Circles and kicking to make him go forward and FINALLY he did.  Around we went again.  He wanted to go out at the trail head again and we had another scuffle which I won.   More trotting.   His heart rate after going around 1.5 times was in the 90's which I thought was good.

We went past the trail head on the last go around so Biscuit will get past the "it's the trail head - I need to leave" issue.  He gives me some trash but moved out finally!!!  He gave me trash on the last go around near the outlet areas on the road.  I had a hard time kicking him into a trot - sometimes he flat out refused and stepped off the trail.  After we got past the outlet areas he settled down and was forward and trotting to beat the band.

We took their tack off and he got plenty of treats and so did Lokey.  It took about 6 minutes or so to reload Lokey.  He is really a good horse!!!  No spook, no silliness, no crazy acting.  He will make Judy (his owner) a terrific little trail horse.  Allison is giving her riding lessons and working with Lokey.  Soon she will be able to join us on trail rides. 

We rode 8.5 miles today and it was a blast.  Heart rates looked good and he pulsed down quickly.  I still would like to get in a 15 mile or more ride at least once before we go to our 25 mile Airport Express Ride.  I am not worried about Biscuit - I am worried about myself!