Make Mine a Draft: That'll do horse, that'll do.

After the biggest showdown between Gali and I in months earlier this week, I was a bit hesitant to accept when Bekka called me and said that our riding plans for today absolutely had to include a trail ride. I haven't taken my horse on a "real" trail ride... ever. We've played around on the track and I've walked him around the property extensively, but we've never left the property - other than walking to the lake directly across the dirt road that leads to the farm. I know, I know - but I'm a chicken and my horse can be a jerk... and we've only had access to trails since moving to this new farm.

Now, Gali's been out on trails. My old trainer took him on his first trail ride (with me as his owner) in June of 2009, and his old half boarder walked him down the street from that farm to a set of trails, but I never had the confidence to take him out next to the road. But he and I together? Nope.

Bekka's fiance, Myk, took our friend's gelding and Gali's best pony friend, Max. Bekka brought her own mare, and even though I warmed up Gali in the ring, I was almost certain I'd switch with her and take Kate if Gali were being anything like he was earlier this week. The warm-up actually went great, and other than a little cold weather stiffness that he worked out of, he was moving nicely and pretending dressage was an okay thing after all. I stepped up to the bravery plate and decided to take Gali out. We walked way farther back than I've ever been before (I've gone on foot and with other horses), past scary abandoned tires, piles of dirt, bridges, rusty tin pipes, houses, playgrounds, and extremely threatening sticks, and other than walking sideways for a good portion of it, Gali was great. I asked about fifteen times to go back or switch horses, but Bekka ad Myk both pushed me past every single "breaking" point.

At one point, Max began to get spooky and the woods got a bit rustly, so Gali was on hyper alert. I knew I wasn't helping, and even though we were doing really well, the trail got a bit more challenging and scary and I did not want him to think all trails were scary just because I was spooking at everything. Bekka relented and we switched horses, and she took Gali back past scary things, through big puddles, and trotting up and back away from the pack to check his manners. She said he was definitely afraid of a lot and not very confident, but having a lot of fun at the same time. I think it was good for him to have some trail time with a confident rider, because I think it will help him get over his own uncertainty. He must have sensed her bravery, too, because the second she hopped on he decided he was going to be a mountain! horse and take her up the steep and two feet high banks that lined the trail at every opportunity. She let him step over logs and trot up and down hills off of the trail path that I would be hesitant to explore, and I'm glad, because he had a blast.

Pictures behind the cut!