Started the weekend early by leaving work at 3:30 on Friday. I'd made plans with Trish earlier to go on a short trail ride at 5:00. Off we went along with her two Great Danes, Lily & DJ. These two could be mistaken for ponies as they are soooo big! They are also great with horses and stay on the trail too. We had a nice walk through the woods and ventured down a side trail a little ways til we found a huge puddle (looked like a small pond) so we turned around. We headed further down the trail and found that it leads to a huge open field where bird houses are scattered alongside a road to the north. The trail continues along side the south side of the woods but we decided we'd save that for another day and turned around. I found out later that this is a nature preserve and bird habitat.
Yesterday I had my friend and former farrier Diane come out to trim G and give me instruction on what I can do better. G was overgrown in the hinds, which I knew. Part of the reason I wanted her to come out as I didn't want to over trim it in one trim. With exception to not being aggressive enough on keeping those toes back she said I've been on the right track and she really didn't think he needs to be shod up front. She was pleased at how his overall hoof health is; even his frogs up front show a vast improvement from what she remembered. So good news, I just need to roll those toes every 2-3 weeks.
This morning hubby was going to the work party a the gun club he belongs to, that just happens to be about 10 minutes from the barn. So I convinced him to car pool and he dropped me off at the barn at 9:15. By 10:00 G was tacked up and we were headed toward the trail with our new trail buddy Ozzy. This time I didn't play or walk Ozzy before hand, which I think helped with his stamina. The temps were low 70's and you could feel the humidity beginning to build. I decided to head directly for the nature preserve. On the way there Ozzy stopped a few times in the trail and each time when I called he came. I came across a few puddles and stopped G to give Ozzy a chance to drink and drink he did. Once he got some H2O he was out running in front of us again.
Oh my goodness is this area beautiful. The birds are singing and breeze is blowing through the trees and I can't hear a highway, I can't hear cars, I can't hear anything but nature - my horse - and my dog. We followed the trail and found that it leads into the woods again and has many little side trails that we will need to investigate. The stuck to the main trail and found it comes out to a large crop field of some sort and there was a road on the other side of the houses about 1/4 mile off. We turned around.
On the way back G was super relaxed and I decided to give Ozzy a break and walked G into a shady grass area and loosened the reins. He immediately dropped his head and began to graze. I asked Ozzy to lay down, and he did. As G grazed moving a step at a time, Ozzy would get up walk 10' ahead of us and lay down again. G was loving life. In the past when I've done this on the way home G would grab two bites and walk off. G was actually content to stay and graze. I took the time to sit back a little and listen and watch the nature around me. It was an exceptionally tranquil morning out in that field. Listening to G's chewing, soft blowing, and the birds singing was music to my ears. After 15 minutes I decided we should head back as I knew hubby would be back around 12:15.
It was a leisurely ride back, probably the most peaceful ride we've ever had. G has no tension or anxiousness about him. Nor did I. G never questioned my decisions on the trail and was happy to go where I pointed him. I think the addition of Ozzy to our trail adventures puts both of us more at ease. It's as if G views him as a member of the herd, and I view him as my protector. I told hubby on the way home it was the best trail ride, start to finish, that I've ever had on G. I truly think we've found heaven!
