My World with a horse part 2

Yesterday we had some fun riding the nearby tree forest lands that the neighbor has offered to my PBO. I really did not give it too much thought when I was told I may venture on over and ride there.

Lately, in search of some dryer areas to ride while some of the well-used-by-me- trails dry out,
I tried the tree lined area again.
I had gone over once during a rain storm and my mare really did NOT want to be there...and neighed and acted nervous.
Yesterday was an attempt to reclaim the area, as it does have a perfect "hacking Track" along the outside that is varied in hills and flats.


As well as a perfectly footed track along the outer edges...I found the rows to be a good in between ride as well! The trees are small yet, so Washashe did not get nervous with being hedged in at all. We worked on canter mostly as the last time we went there....she practically cantered in place as we headed homeward to get rain reprieve! It felt so lovely, I thought to try for it on purpose.

Wow, she gave me some nice work. Our departs will take some work and not having a wall, it may take longer but- if any of you out there would like to describe your techniques for aides for canter...I am interested.
I may try inside the rows for a wall like place...but I basically leg yielded left then right, and as her inside leg came back towards me I cued the left lead...three strides in a row. If I were to be trotting, I would be giving aide on the sit phase of the same side lead. I do have to be careful of my outside leg being overly strong...she has kicked out in past. I tend to use the inside on girth and also inside hand raised slightly. My hips in position do make my outside leg slightly back already, without my over asserting that part!

I was in the middle of this lovely training ride when I got a call from my husband. He had been stranded by -SNOW- in an airport in Wisconsin. I had to rescue him from Seattle, Washington State, when he got there apparently. A short ride, darn. I had wanted to discover the rest of the offered properties"behind the gate" in adventures.
I untacked quickly, it was only one property over so, that was fast.
Unfortunately I was not looking forward to a 3 hour drive and 3 more again home. OH..the phone again....he did NOT need me! good for him, he got a flight!

Then, I decided to resume our quest in halter and with training stick. The Wa and I set out for the neighbor's gate to the unknown!

This was our view! More perfectly footed roads

This rather large tree log is right inside the gate appropriately for remounting.
I thought of my friend Jenn over at Green Slobber on my shirt's neat-o- mounting pedestal & Lisa's need for a mounting ramp soon..this size was perfect for that..though...

She is soo funny, my mare...whenever she does not want to do as I wish..she will turn her head the way she'd like to go or just plain ignore me by putting it down to the ground in avoidance altogether!
I was trying to show how high the tree log was here for Lisa and she would not cooperate with a straight horse body!

An attempt to show you some great big older growth trees...head down view makes that tough!

So...we walked quite far down the road like paths, till we spied a pond and many creeks and also some very stinky Skunk cabbage and an awesome barn. The paths went on and on to my delight...but my ankle and the creeks kept me from going further.....then, there WAS the ordeal of walking all the ways back. Hummm...should I try....do I dare?
I have never ridden my mare outside bareback. And in a halter, never. I do ride in sometimes a" bitless bridle" ; that is about the equivalence of a halter for my mare , according to "Horse Journals" latest issue. At least I know she will respond to that...but the bareback...?...
Okay...I kinda have to try since my ankle was yelling some fierce names at me by now.

I did take the lash off my training/carrot stick and tied it firmly around her neck for some holding on power for myself. Then I placed my left hand firmly in place around it with the rope rein's bridged too!

I kept taking large deeps breaths of air to keep myself relaxed...she was fine..me well...pensive some.

She did...well, you'll see here!


So, This is what we did yesterday, after opening up the wonderful package from FIVEOCLOCKSOMWHERE. . . . .as seen in post below!