First trail ride in 3 months - big improvement

[laura jeanne]

Since the weather was practically like a fall day this weekend, we went for a trail ride for the first time in 3 months. We went out for 2 hours and rode thru woods, along the bayou, across a 6 lane road and back again.

I rode my favorite horse there, a small dark bay Arabian. The horses there are trained for endurance riding and so have lots of stamina and love to go fast.

I felt like my riding had really improved in these 3 months with my new instructor. For one thing, when we go thru the woods, we go at a trot a lot of the way and the horses trot really fast. In the past, I have had a hard time posting that fast and keeping it up for very long and used to end up going in 2 point a lot of the way. I did lots more posting this time I'm thinking because my leg muscles are in better shape and my posting must be improving overall (especially my leg position).

Then in the long stretches of canter, when the horses are usually all just flat out racing each other, I was actually able to slow my horse down to a more controlled canter and (at least at first) sit to the canter.

I have to admit tho that when the ride was over, I almost fell off when I tried to get down - I was so tired!

It was a gorgeous day and we had a great time.

 

[lady ridealot]

*sighs* Alright for some! lol Lucky you!

 

[KarinUS]

Sounds like fun and like you had a great time

 

[kedwards]

Wonderful! It sounds like you had a great time and got a confidence boost as well!

 

[western]

Wow sounds like you had a very fun ride. Its actually very relaxing just going for a trail ride and put all troubles behind you, but for you it was a very good confidence booster into getting yourself back into riding. I love trail riding in the fall, its so georgeous and horses just love it. It kinda gives them a break from the warm heat of the summer.