Back on the trails!

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Annual Trail Rides: 54/200

Well that was a long three weeks! I did manage to get out a bit, but wow it was difficult to get some trail time in March. Now that the weather is warming and the sun is working hard, the snow and ice are starting to melt and we have regained our wide trails reserved for x-country skiing.

Today was also my first ride out alone in a long time, and I could really feel my anxiety working overtime. Q was angling for speed I kept it mostly at a walk with just a bit of trotting so that I could navigate us through the icy patches.

Meanwhile I kept thinking about Warwicks rabbits while Q spooked at logs, and thinking about Qs bolting departure last fall when we got spooked by the loose dog on the ravine, and thinking about the deer as they tore through the forest. Q was happy to trot when we did, and he gave some nice relaxing blows but was also regularly accelerating as much as possible. Singing slow songs helped, and this is just one of those things where I need more solo saddle time where we can get our trail mojo back.

I made it to our canter track, after a four month absence, but canter we did not as I was unsure I could stop in time for the next ice patch. And there were a lot of snow and ice patches. Also lots of puddles and trail streams where Q proceeded to drink like a camel.

Afterwards I let Q graze in the “grass” and noted how pale has has gotten this year. He didn’t mind the sad state of the grass at all.

Its going to be gorgeous all week so I gather Ill be hitting the trails almost every day and hopefully get my canter mojo back on a jiffy. Happy trails!










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