Our trail to happiness !

Our trail to happiness !

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Sept 28th, OUR first CTR!!! Amazing!!!!




"Not Camp Cheputnicook Ride 2013 "


-Saturday's CTR ! 26 miles (2 loops on the same trail - & back to camp for halfway)

He didn't whinny at all at camp settled in good , had a great Friday evening (although it was cool in the trailer! brrr! )



We did got our number for the weekend.... #13!! yay!! Kaaren and Odin are #14 , We go to our pre-vetting, Kizz was great!  mounted and waited for our turn to go out (just a few minutes) we stayed up near where the timer sits and he munched a bit and was pretty settled. We picked up a trot going out by the judges and out onto the trails! We went along the edge of a big field, trotted around it. He was great.

 We got onto the trails and they were a bit muddy. I had to dismount and re strap a boot right off :( he is interfering with his back - I think I may have rounded his toe back a bit much and he is breaking over quicker and reaching up quicker with his back and he is hitting the velcro and undoing his boot on me.  Then after a bit it happened again and we lost the boot. I went back to look for it and a lady found it for me , she waited for me to mount with me and we head back to where Kaaren was up head. Kizz was hyper and wondering where she and Odin were ! I dismounted as soon as the trail came out onto the pave and the lady handed me some vet wrap. I did both front feet all around the boots hoping it would keep him from undoing the velcro on back. 

We trotted all along the pave, he was happy happy. We kept a good steady pace and he did GREAT ! All along the ride we passed quite a few horses on trail and he was great.. We even had a few pass us and he didn't mind at all. (this would only be the second time we had horses pass us on trail before!) 

later on in the ride, going through some muddy trails , I seen the boot was almost undone again so I got down and hooked it to my strap to by breast collar. So now he was going in only 1 boot on front haha

We did the rest of the loop with just one boot. He did fine!  We came to a long slow grade up hill that had wonderful footing!! We cantered up almost all of it. We slowed down and trotted by a few groups of 2 and he did wonderful! The weather was awesome and the last 1/2 of the loop was beautiful trails!

When we got to halfway, we cooled down, got our P/R and then had a snack and drink. What a morning! I was having a blast!! I was thinking Kizz should be pretty quiet to mount for the second half again and he was! We mounted up and head out -- this time NO boots! 

We did the second loop much much quicker than the first (no stopping for boots made things smoother too!) the second loop we started out leaving at the end of the group but when we came in at the end, we were up quite a few horses!! 

The last big long hill we ride before hitting the pave and getting back to camp, he was still raring to go! I was tired! lol I didn't have to HOLD him back, but If I dropped my reins he would speed up ! I think he's caught the bug! lol

 We cooled the horses down, did our P&R and trot out and vet check and cleared fine!! Kizz was wonderful ,The vet even mentioned she watched US all day and was very impressed !!!  I was sooo soo happy!










After everything was taken care of, we headed to the garage for meeting and sat down to relax a bit and hear about awards. I was SO TAKEN BACK when it came to 1st place for TRAIL HORSE and our NUMBER WAS CALLED!!! I was in shock!!! I was honored and so proud as well!

We even came in 9th place out of 18 horses!!!! And that was after even leaving the hold at halfway LAST!!! WOW!

What a lovely first CTR we had!! I can't tell you how happy I was!!  and we got a shirt to remember the ride with! yay!!







we relax for a bit at the camp fire up at the house.. what a great day & evening!

Sat night around the campfire with some ladies :) (Sylvia on left, then Jennifer ,the rest I'm not sure)




-Sunday's 12 mile JP (same loop as before only halfway was on trail across a bridge and at a stream)

Didn't bother with the boots again as we were just taking the trail slow and he did fine without them the day before.
Mounted and waited around for our numbers to leave. Whenever Kaaren wandered off on Odin he got very upset and danced around. But he didn't whinny or take off on me.









 When it was our turn we walked off on trail and head out. We walked around the fields to the trails and then on the muddy trail he was super hyper. Whenever horses came up behind us he would dance and turn one side then the other. It was like trying to ride a snake! We pulled over to let a few pass. He wouldn't stop and kept turning and pawing. But we didn't leave until he settled with a loose rein. Then once we came out of there and got on the pave we trotted along. We passed a few riders and trotted the whole roadway. He settled a BIT finally. But the rest of the ride still had a ton of energy.

Half way at the JP we went through a covered bridge! He didn't mind at all! I was so surprised. He even seemed to LIKE the hallow loud thumping on the wooden floor!

Halfway he wasn't too inclined to drink at the stream but I wet him down some. He seemed a bit sunken in like he needed water too. I hand fed him a bit of Kaaren's pellets with Electrolytes in it. 
 His P/R was good. We waiting around a bit and then head out. He stood at the steep bank for me to mount nicely!

Once we got back on the regular trail we had been on he was excited to go.  If I just dropped the reins one little bit he would speed faster and faster. (Even with his buddy Odin behind us) but if I let him go he would only go so far until Odin was a ways behind then he would slow down. Pretty crazy that he was hyper to after doing 26 miles the day before and 12 miles Sunday!

We cooled off got our P&R taken. Then did our trot out and he was great. Stood great for the vet (Kaaren & Odin were also near by waiting since they were next ) he had a bit of puffiness on his legs from about mid cannon down. But was trotted sound down the drive even barefoot.





and MY best memory of this trail ride is...

On Trail Kaaren turns to me lifts up her fingers and starts ticking them off.. .. Your goals of Trail riding your horse this year.. CHECK, your goal for maybe next year doing a JP, CHECK.. your goal of maybe the year after doing a CTR.. CHECK!!  HAHA!! I could not have done this without her wonderful help, so thank you Kaaren for mentoring us, encouraging us and being there for us!!! XOXO 







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