Cantering in Tyrrell Park

Kellie and I made a terrific ride today.  I met her at the park around 7:50 AM this morning.  When I pulled Biscuit out of the trail his back left coronary band had a little cut and was bleeding.  It wasn't that way when I put him in the trailer.  It was fresh.  Sigh.....

We tacked up and hit the trail to the right.  We went out on the bayou and the grass in parts were as tall as us!  Biscuit stopped and turned around.  LOL  He was through!!  Oh well - he got turned back around and set behind Elan.

We went all the way to the bridge and Kellie got off to clean his hooves.  I snapped this picture of Elan's new Steele saddle.  It isn't squeaking as much now.  Biscuit had thrown it in reverse just before we got there.  Geez...he needs to STOP that foolishness.  Kellie mounted up and we took off and I realized I didn't have my crop.  We back tracked and I had dropped it right after Biscuit did his reverse move.  I dismounted and picked it up and remounted on the embankment.

Biscuit was more than ready to head back.  We were trotting and he was collecting himself up perfectly.  I let him go into a canter and he transitioned so smoothly I was thrilled   We cantered for quiet a ways and he started getting "strong" on me and I slowed him down.  He did a great job but started wanting to get faster.  I was thrilled though because he really had made a massive amount of improvement.  We went all the way to the woods and when we were coming up the bayou a loud BOOM noise from where that rig is thundered!  OMG Biscuit spooked hard in place and I patted him and said "This is why you are the bomb.  You spook in place!"  We entered the woods and got to the main trail.  I asked him to go to the right and he had a hissy, backing up and refusing.  I don't know what it is about that corner that gives him a meltdown but I finally got him going after he backed his butt way up into the trees!  We went along the right side and hit a trot and had a great time.  We came across a little box turtle in a mud hole.

Kellie had to go attend to Lady Dollar's eye so she went out at the trail head.  Biscuit wanted to follow and he and I had a little tussle with him backing up into the brush and trees.  I just kept after him, turning him in tight circles, walking back and forth, him hitting REVERSE.  It went on for about 5 to 7 minutes and I finally got him to go forward.

We went to the left - hahahahaha he didn't want to go to the right which would have been forward from the way we came so we reversed out trip and went to the left.  We started out at a walk and then hit a trot.  We got around to the back and he spooked at what I thought was wood chunks but it was actually a garden snake slithering across the trail.  We went on at a jog and a trot through the trail til we got to the front...and another meltdown.  OMG he has a head like a freaking ROCK.  He wanted to go out - I said no.  He backed up, I turned him in circles.  He kept backing into the woods like a duffus.  This is the vegetation he knocked down doing that.

He backed up into the brush to the left of the trail head and kept backing up.  I just let him.  Then he picked up his front left hoof to paw - I kicked with the left foot and said AAAAAAHHHHHHHHKKKKK.  STOP THAT.  Hahahaha,  He stopped and then did it again and again he got a kick with the left foot and a AAAAHHHKKKKK STOP THAT.  I guess I was supposed to be scared of the pawing.  LOL  We went back and forth, turned a zillion circles and finally he moved forward.

We went all around and got to where we saw the snake and I be danged if it wasn't slithering across the trail again.  Must be a snake toll booth right there.  We were at a jog for most the trail til we got to the other side by the ride aways I pulled him to a walk.  We walked all the way back and I made him go back and forth over the trail head with him throwing hissy fits, backing up, turning circles.  I finally got him to go back and forth without hesitation.  It was a work out though.

I got him back to the trailer and took his tack off and hosed him off.  He was pretty darn good about being sprayed in the face.  He is getting to be such a good boy!!!  I loaded him up and we hauled out.

The weather wasn't too hot today thank God and it is supposed to be cool in the morning.  Kellie and I are going again and I can't wait!  I rode 8.9 miles today.   I forgot to turn on my Garmin til I was at the corner of Cattail Marsh.  Duh.  I now have 213.25 miles for the year.  That is pathetic but what can you do when it is pouring rain?