Wyoming goes on a trail ride with friends....far away from home...

Wyoming:  7 year old mustang gelding from where?  Yes, Wyoming!  :-)
He came, he went, he came again, he went again, and he came again and stayed!  :-) 

This year I have been riding him more and it is very good for the both of us.  I still get a little bit of anxiety and fear when he gets all uptight about something, so I have been working real hard on learning how to ride better, and learning how to control my emotions better.  After all, how can I really expect him to control his emotions when I can't control my own?  (I know I am not the only person who has asked that question)


Some friends were going riding a couple hours from where we live, and we decided to join them.  This is Wymoing's first trip this far away from home for a trail ride.  There were four of us who ventured out with our mustangs.

I didn't get pictures of the ride but Jessi did!  Thank you Jessi for taking ride pics of everyone!  Love them!

This first batch are pictures that Jessi took...

His is Wy and I leading the group (we all took turns).  Jessi is taking pictures from her 2010 EMM yearling who has grown up into this very handsome dude!  That horse will do anything for her!

Mustang group front to back:  Me on Wyoming, Angela on Cord, Friend Emily on Kahlua and Jessi the photog on Valero.






Wy usually does very well leading a group, altho I notice little by little he starts to slow down.  Almost like he is making sure they all catch up...then the next thing you know we are all traveling at a snails pace.  Ha ha! 








  


Peek-A-Boo!












We are now the caboose.  Wy is much more nervous when he is the caboose.  He doesn't just check behind him with his ears, he is also turning his head back and forth constantly, and he is on alert ready to skadaddle if he needs to.  Perfect example of learning to control emotions and reactions....he tenses up and that head goes in the air cocked sideways like he is ready to escape, and I tense up and HOLD ON!  I am working on staying relaxed and balanced at the same time and letting him work thru it.  I will be there if he needs me.  It is easier said than done sometimes... 







Jessi the photographer on her mustang Valero.  His temperament reminds me of Tripp.  :-)






After our ride we took the horses back to the creek to play.  J and E donned their helmets and swimsuits and headed to the water!  It was fun watching them play...reminded me of the days when I was a kid and headed to the creek.  The contest between my sisters and I was to see who could get their horses to lay down in the water first.  :-)











Walking back to the parking lot after creek play...and Wy is still eye-balling all the wonderful tall grass that is just standing there doing nothing!  Ha ha !







Here are pictures I took at the creek.  After creek play Wyoming took to eating some horse weed. 

Wyoming LOVED the water!  He dunked his head down in it and splashed and played.

He is making faces at Jessi....Wy had so much fun!

Ahhhhh, this boy will sleep good!

When we got to the creek Wy picked out a sand spot and rolled.  Oh my gosh, he was so happy!  He has not had sand like this since we have had him around.  He let me know that he would appreciate it if we would set up a sand box at home.  I have cataloged it in my mind...

In between creek play, Wy would watch the people at the other end of the creek that were fishing, and he would watch the people walking thru from we don't know where with their fishing gear and water play toys.

After a 10 plus mile ride he was still ready to go.  

Okay, done now...ready to munch grass before we head home.

 
 




When I got home the plan was to take a quick ride on Tripp.  I thought we would head to the small lake and back.  I threw on the bareback pad to save time....and I love riding with the pad....then it started to rain.  I kept going thinking it would not rain hard - then it started to POUR and the lightning started zapping all around us.  Seeing as the trail is in the middle of trees I thought it would be wise to turn around and head back.

Tripp said I could not have made that decision quick enough...he is not amused.






What a fun day!  Wyoming did great on his ride.  We only had one major spook and I really don't know what triggered it.  Angela thinks it might have been Wy trying to keep track of the horses and the two people that were hiking on the trail at the same time, and maybe he heard something that set him off because it was too much for him.  I got off centered but managed to get my rump back up and over the saddle.  Much more circling around from him with the quick stop/starts I don't know if I could have held on...but I did not give up!  Remember when I would have gone to the mental place of "Bail off now!"?  I sure do....and I am glad that it is a secondary thought now instead of a main thought.  :-)  Wy was on alert after that...and I tried to stay relaxed to let him know life was good.  It took a while, but he finally relaxed again.  The couple that was hiking was taking pictures of flowers and butterflies.

Wy also met his first bicycle riders.  They were coming towards us and we hollered to let them know we were there, and they were very polite and pulled over so we could pass.  I told them that they were our first bicycles and they said "I don't think I would be putting the spooky horse up front then."  Ha ha!  Well, at that point Wy was walking faster than the others, so he needed to be in front.  We did not see any other speedy bikes after that.  And Wy really did do good with it!  I was proud of him.

 It was a long fun day....

Until later...Karen and Tripp who loves lightning because that means he can go back home without having to work too hard...