Second Ride with the Reactor Panel - Bracken Rd.~

Sharon, Pat & Donnie

Pat planned to get us all out this week, for me - before the heat turns on!  We headed out from Bracken Rd. - Donnie again ponying Cam on her second time away from home.  Sharon was riding her new mare, who'd been a pasture ornament for a while & was pretty new to trails too.

Why is the water tank spooky?  :-)

I saddled Farah before we left home, as is my usual routine.  Tightening the girth in increments - still getting used to the stretch in the billet straps.

Crossing Tin Bridge

Everyone was nice & let Farah lead - she did do some bucking when I would end up in the rear.  Now, I know it's not the saddle! :-)

Pat walks Cam across the bridge~

It was the first time for Cam, Destry & Sharon's mare.  Once across we were on the heavy rock, it was interesting to feel Farah's movement - more than I ever have before - on the rock it was accentuated.  We let the horses graze at Cloverdale, then headed over to the river.

In the North fork of the Stillaquamish

The water is SO low!  Scary low - but still flowing...  The bank going down was short & steep.  Farah stopped & dropped her head to check it out.  I was thinking;  "Hum... nothing to put my hand on for balance..."  I didn't need it!  I felt totally balanced as she dropped down - hardly moving in the seat!  Yes!

Donnie on Rao with Cam

Donnie found the one deep spot & I missed getting a shot of Cam swimming around Donnie!  She loved the water!  All the horses really enjoyed the coolness on a day that was rapidly heating up!
Needless to say - we didn't go looking for deep water with the RP saddle!

Young fawn~

On the way back, this fawn caused the only spook of the day, Farah was in the lead & jumped sideways - I easily stayed with her!  Yes!  Big move up on my confidence level!  Pat was riding Cam - who followed Farah's lead, spooked & whirled.  Pat only lost a stirrup & Cam settled right back down.

We ended up doing ten-miles in four hours, not a lot in mileage, but a long time for only the second ride in the RP.  I dismounted - again so pleased to not be sore!  Once home, I unsaddled Farah & though I know the value of even sweat patterns is often debated - Farah's was perfect!  No soreness anywhere.  The waves on her withers had been getting better with the new Supracore pad.  They were certainly no worse.  With the way the panels go over the withers, I hope to see them less & less!

It's not as though I do two or three Endurance rides a month - as many do.  This year, with the continuing heat - it may be that the only one we do, is the one we did!  What we do - is miles...  Lots & lots of miles over varied terrain, technical trails, slow, fast & sometimes very fast :-)  I need a saddle that will hold up to that over the long haul.  I do so wish RP had a version with some skirting - somewhere to hang all my stuff from...  But something that works physically - for us both is the goal!

Another very positive ride, this time for comfort over hours of time on the trail~