New Friends~

The story is a long one, the friendship is too - I referred Joyce to this particular friend & we were both introduced to Robin.  Wouldn't you know?  Robin grew up on horseback - then as with so many of us, life got in the way.  Funny how things sometimes go full circle!

Robin sets up to ride Jesse!  With Joyce's help.

 Joyce offered to take Robin out on a ride & of course I had to tag along!  Robin was very honest with us about her horse experience - her father was in the military & Polo was his sport!  Her parents first date?  Out for a ride!  As a fearless kid, she'd ridden all day - jumped anything in sight & spent all her time in the saddle.  Now, it had been fifteen years...

Joyce & Robin admire the view

Not many women would have the nerve to get on their first Arabian (a top-ten endurance horse) & head out for a ten-mile ride!   Jesse was well behaved, besides thinking that the pace could have been a little a bit faster :-)

At the Monument

Robin did a wonderful job - not grabbing rein or making any "newbie" mistakes!  As usual the three horses moved right out at the walk - cruising along at 4-mph. on a beautiful cool day could not have been nicer.

Target & Joyce

With the supracore pad gone & the sheepskin back on, I was comfortable again!  Farah too, was much happier with just the Woolback!  No inserts!  I'd also changed the saddle pack to one that holds two water bottles.  When I left my camera back at the Monument - (Figured this out when I wanted a photo at the Lake McMurrary outlook.) I turned Farah back to go get it.  We hit a trot - then a gallop - then the bucks started coming!  I reached back & with nothing behind the cantle - the pack was still coming in contact with her loin.  That came off once we were home & we'll go back - to what works!

Stinging Nettle Bloom with the ever evasive Blackberry!

It's always so much fun to show someone new your "backyard".  Even though the peaks were under the clouds, Robin really enjoy her ride & we enjoyed having her with us!