I got the the barn by 9:30AM. Tina and i had made plans after the days before to try to the trail again. The plan today was to give Sabs 2mils of Ace IM and see if that made any difference to her at all with her tude on the trail. Jez would be going out sober. Sabs has competed novice level and gone cross country and she has lots of trail experience this being a pill on the trail thing is new. It was an experiment of sorts. After Sabs let us know the ace was on board we tacked up this time with rope halters under our bridles in case walking home happened. We headed out and all was right in the world. The girls were calm and happy to be out on the trail. Even when a gigantic flock of geese were in the way and we had to ride though them, some of them taking to flight the girls didn’t bat an pretty horse eyelash. We carried on into the woods. Not one spook, not one issue. Tina jumped Sabs over a big log on the trail path and Sabs cleared it took a couple canter strides and then came right back down to a walk and was dandy.
The ace took the edge off her, she was a different horse. Jez was steady as a rock, no jig jog, no spook, no prance, just a happy girl out on the trail. We exited the woods and walked along a long driveway (we ride on a lot of private property) and got to the street crossing. Its a fairly busy street and i haven’t crossed streets with Miss Jezebel yet. She started to tense up, likely cuz i tensed up and we decided based on the traffic and my nerves not to try a street crossing this time. We headed for home back down the long driveway into the woods and then out again. Both girls, were rockstars. Back at the farm they had just dragged the ring so we rode around there for a while until Tina had to bail to go to work. It was an awesome quiet calm fun trial ride. I’m not sure what Tina’s going to do moving forward. I gave her a bottle of Ace ( I have a ton because it was given to me like water during Jez’s rehab. Its gotta be used up and i cant use it all before it expires) Its possible she will try to get Sabs used to being out on the trail on the Ace then taper it off and see if that will help her adjust to it with out losing her horsey mind. Its as good a try as anything. Fox hunters regularly Ace their horses before they go out and i know several people who give it a go when their horse reach a trail stumbling block they want to over come. So its an option. We will see.
I then tacked up the red-head and then after removing the thick gross layer of caked on mud which took me 40 mins and tired me out i mounted up. I rode Circe in the ring. It was an interesting ride but exhausting. Fun new trick is her trotting with her nose to the ground. Yes, she’s stretching but thats hard to ride. I rode it at a post and and i rode it at the sit. As long as she was holding her body right i let her do whatever she wants with her head. She did this a little with her trainer the other day but this time it was brought to a whole new level. Its a good thing i have good balance cuz posting on a trotting horse with her nose to the ground for 30 mins that sure aint easy. After i put Circe away i was filling hay bags with Mary (Willa) and she said “what are those horses running” pointing down the past the barn. Two horses were cantering on their own towards the barn. Yeah it was Windemere the 33 year old ex brood mare who lives in the isles. She always comes up for the afternoon feeding in her own usually when one of the guys is leading another horse from her field but this time she was running and who was cantering along side of her… Jezebel. I ran out to grab Jez and between me and Mary we got them in the barn all safe and sound. It seems there was some kind of mishap down at the field fence and some of the horses escaped of course one would be Jezebel. I’m just happy she ran to the barn not away from it. Smart pony knows where dinner is!
I was so tired when i got home i couldn’t barely think. My trainer texted and she is squeezing me in an extra day this weekend. Yus! Its also going to be in the 60’s weather wise so my dirty ponies will get baths. The mud in the field is out of control and both girls need a good washing. The weather out here is skitzo it will be warm for a couple days then we are sinking right back down to colder then a witches tit. Good Times.