Trail Trials

Wahoo! We finally got to ride our horses on Saturday. It is unbelievable to me that we have not ridden since November--that is the longest we have ever gone without riding. Last year we rode in February's snow and in March we rode just about every weekend (at least that's what I think I remember!).

Anyway, we went to the BCHA's Trail Trials in Ferndale. Last year we worked. This year, we had it scoped out, so we near some of the outbuildings near a patch of lawn. The boys got to eat out of their hay bags and stand on grass, rather than the blacktop. Both of them are shoeless and tenderfoots.

After we brushed, and brushed, and brushed, and then cleaned the dirt and hair off OUR faces (the wind was blowing), we saddled them and rode around a circle drive. Boy, it felt good to be in the saddle. Then we headed over to the arena. We had the option of walking them through the obstacles first, but we elected to just do them.

We started with a gate. But it didn't seem like it worked right. So I just walked him through it and then over the to the mounting block. I got on and went around the gate to the next obstacle. Lynn did the same thing. I didn't really see her again for a bit, because of course, Zigs just went through everything and Jupes is the shy guy.

Next were the turkeys and a 30 inch step over log. Jupes sniffed the turkeys, sniffed the log, backed up and went over. The second time we did it, he would not go over it. We went around the edge and he sniffed all those turkeys and went back over the log from that side, but still would not over it from the right side. ?? It must have smelled funny on that side or something. We walked through the brush and logs--no big deal.

Next was pulling a LOG--way bigger and heavier than it should have been. Jupes was like, "What are you doing? What is behind me? Oh no, you are not making me pull that horse-eating, loud thing back over there!" So we drug it and then I dropped the rope.

The tent, dog, little girl inside the tent, and two women standing there gave Jupes pause. He looked at the fake deer and said, "I'll stay here. Can I come in the tent? Do you have granola bars in there?" Finally we got past them and turn into the "forest" with the bear skin, wild cat skins, sheep skins, and he relaxed. Later, both of us were in there waiting our turn and they just stood there; it was no big deal.

Then came the silver pond. No way, Jupes said! I don't like it. We never went through it; he wouldn't even get close enough to smell it. He wouldn't follow Zigs. Nope. Not going.

We went by the backpacker--no big deal, didn't even look at her. We went over the tippy bridge several times. No big deal. We kind of back down the trail by the chicken. I need to work on backing--he'll do it, but really only interested in it when he sees the purpose. :) We went over the logs and turned the way we were supposed to turn. Then came the llama. He touched noses with it. The next time, the llama was peeing, so Jupes was like, "Give him some privacy! Plus he's stinky." Then he asked the guy for a treat.

The trash was kind of a big deal. He didn't want to go through the pit with the trash. Go figure. He's not used to seeing litter? We finally did. We attempted to side step down some PVC. He would have if he could have figured out what I was asking him to do--it was my fault and I was trying not to be in the way. He was so good.

It was fun and I'm glad we went. I am super proud of how well both of them did. They're turning 14 and it shows.