Trail Ride at Lady Moon

We had the best of intentions in taking a group trail riding yesterday, but 20+ mph winds thwarted our efforts.  So we postponed the trip by a day and hauled up to Red Feather in the foothills west of my place today instead.  I rode Highboy because he was desperate for a field trip, Alice rode Beauty, Joan rode Sam and Gillian rode Silver.  It was definitely Silver's first trail ride, and it was Joan's first trail ride with Sam.

Highboy must  have explained to Silver what trail riding was all about while they were next to each other in the trailer, because Silver was amazing on this ride.  He was a little nervous while getting tacked up at the trailer, but Highboy stood quietly munching his hay bag and gently bumped Silver with his nose whenever Silver looked too concerned. 

It is so strange to have Highboy being the quiet dependable horse who is counseling the others how to enjoy trail riding without drama.  I still vividly remember him trotting backwards (yes you read that right) past an umbrella on his first trail ride about five years ago.  He's now been on so many rides in so many places with so many road trips he's an old hand for new trails. 

We were also super impressed with Sam.  Joan has been enjoying him in the arena at home and riding around the back forty, and we've done one cross country school with him at Lory.  Sam seemed slightly concerned at the beginning of the ride, wondering if we were headed to a cross country jumping course or if this was some odd kind of race day.  Once he realized that we just walk for miles until we get to the lake, then turn around and head back he was great.

Beauty is the one I call The Anchor when we do these rides.  She's a solid traveler and always rides in the back of the horse trailer because she's the smallest and lightest of the horses we take.  Once on the trail she was in the back there too since her legs are so short, relatively speaking.  Remember she's surrounded by leggy thoroughbreds, but she keeps up pretty well.

One of the best things about this trail is the aspens.  We were just about a week early for the brightest yellow color as they change, but some of them were starting.

The trail we took today ended up at Molly Lake.  Highboy was a little bummed the mud was such that it probably had some major suction to it, so he didn't get to go in and splash or swim.  There was still some good grazing, though.

Silver led most of the way, Highboy was pretty sedate in the back and content to munch on the scenery as he dined and dashed.

Now that all the horses have proven themselves safe and trustworthy on the trails, cross country jumping is going to be much less intimidating.  I frame it as cross country is just trail riding with jumps, so we should be good to go!