Sunday! Let's Ride

We took our time getting ready to ride, but the boys were up for it! I got to the gate and called them and they came running! Anyone that says riding a horse is cruelty to animals hasn't a clue. These guys like getting out and being tourists. They can handle what is asked of them and do it with alacrity. They bound into the trailer and like to go for a ride.

We arrived around 10:30 and friends were already there, tacking up. We quickly finished that and headed on down the trail. Not as many people out as should be, the weather is beautiful, rain expected after 5 p.m. Mostly fishermen, but some hikers with dogs and a bike or two.

We went down the drive, crossed the roadway and into the park, and then straight down the hill to the river. Picked up speed after crossing the railroad tracks. When we got to the parking lot at 'downtown' Marriottsville we picked up trash that was along the tracks. The parking lot was busy and had to wait at the roadway to cross because of the traffic.

Picking up more trash on the other side we finally crossed the tracks again and headed along into the woods. After passing the 'frog pond' where the snapping turtles were seen, we turned left into the woods instead of the fields and headed along the path that parallels the train tracks. A train came along, pulling lots of empty oil tankers.

KC was pretty darn good! The path is wide with a sheer drop off on the track side and sheer cliff on the up side. I stopped to trim some branches and he was good about that, all the while the train is coming by within feet of us, some cars screeching on the rails.

When we got to the restaurant there were several cars parked up against the hitching post. One guy was there and he graciously moved his truck after I bitchily pointed out we needed room, as the sign says.

We were still in the parking lot when another three riders came up, but they hitched up at the post closest to the road. We were at the porch when another, much larger group came in, taking their horses up the hill and into the trees to tie up.

I ate too much, too.

I led on the way out, mostly to control the speed, and because I'm a control freak in general. When I asked them if they wanted to run up a particular hill I started out in a nice canter, KC was being so good today! and Filip teased that he never got out of trot! I said when I'm following you and you're going to trot, I'm behind you cantering!

It started raining a while after we were already home and at dusk I got them in to feed and after brushing them all I decided to leave them in all night. It was going to be a mild night, but it was raining and the wind was gusting, so I left them in.