20 miles today at the Park

The sun was out, and temps in the forties, and it was off to the races with Phebes today. That was not the plan for the morning, but that was what it was. After fighting it for about...several miles (I forgot to start my Garmin), I finally just had to pull her up, and let the others out of sight for awhile. Then her sanity returned, and I decided I might actually live through the day. We missed a turn on the Y trail, and ended up going down Z partly backward, turning around and back tracking. After XY and part of Z, we came in and rested the horses for about thirty minutes and headed out again at a much saner overall pace for A loop.

The turn out was really nice today. Michelle Detmer, her friend Tara, David Monroe, Christine Eickleberry, and myself. I've been around Michelle twice, and both times she has had a radiant smile, obviously enjoying the ride with her arabian. And let me tell you she can ride! Those ladies were just smoking it down the trail on those horses. I'm sure for them that pace doesn't seem fast, but to this "GRANNY" they were moving on. I just haven't been riding long enough to have developed that kind of balance or muscle control to gallop down the trail. I can do it in spurts, get winded, walk awhile, pick up the trot again, and repeat the process. Phebes is not pulled together mentally, and I'm not pulled together physically, and I think I am over mounted for my personal experience. What a pair!

I was proud of Phebes for handling going under the tunnel today. She took that like a trooper. She also climbed the hill from hell at a full gallop. Our second loop went well. We did our interval thing, and Chris worked with Toby on his gaiting, David's mare is just incredible, that is all I can say about that. Phebes didn't drink until the second loop. She tanked up fair at one stop, and sipped a little at another.

When we got back from our ride today David did a fake vet check on both the greenies. Phebes did well with her trot out, and he had to work at getting a look at her gums for capillary refill. She was good about most of the check, but when I checked her hind muscles she felt a little tight, and she wasn't liking the exam of me palpating her muscles. Her back was good. Tomorrow I'll put her in the round pen for some off line work to see how she's moving, and I want to check her legs again.
She never really got even winded today, though I must say I was "gasping" for air at regular intervals.

Lost on the trail today was my black riding crop. If someone happens upon it, please save it for me. It is either on X or Y trail. Doug ordered me a blue one, and we are going to put a snap on it, so when not in use I'll have it secured to the saddle, and blue, just in case it is dropped, I can backtrack and maybe find it. But would like my old standby if anyone should happen upon it.

Phebes is settled into the barn with some beet pulp mash, and her evening ration of feed. When I checked on her she was still slurping on it. She had some carrots, and had been into her hay. All good! ~E.G.