Riding the Loop

Riding the Loop

Winter is here.  Trail riding becomes difficult because just a quarter mile down the trail we have to
cross the river.  Once the river starts to freeze, as it did earlier in the month, all we can do is ride up
and down the hill if we want to go on a trail ride.

That used to suffice in years past, but this year, the hill is a miserable place to ride.  The park decided t
o fix it, but they made it worse.  One good section, in the middle of the hill, they thought the could
improve.  They got a bunch of clay and they spread it over the trail.  In doing that, they completely
covered the drainage ditch that runs alongside it, and filled in the culvert that drained the water away.  
Now, when it rains, the water drains right onto the trail; creating a little pond--that freezes, of course.  
Also, the clay is thick mud.  The horse hooves chop it all up--and that freezes, too.  It is no place we
want to ride.

That leaves us the loop behind the barn as our only good outdoor riding spot.  Cole is pretty good back
there, now.  When I used to work and had to ride at night, I would ride him there on the mild nights.  
Ellen used to ride Dante back there when I worked, and she didn’t have anyone to ride with.  She
introduced him to it, and right away he was great.

That leaves Starry.  Kevin never spent much time back there.  He always preferred riding up and
down the hill.  I did, too, until the park tried to fix it.  He was hesitant to come out and ride the loop with
us, but we were finally able to convince him.

Because it is within eyesight of the barn and goes along our outdoor arena, which often has horses
turned out in it and the neighbor’s pasture, it can be a tricky place to ride.  It is only about a quarter
mile, so that means that we want to do it more than once.  Each time they come around the corner
that faces home, they would just as soon keep going.  We also see a lot of deer and turkeys in the
woods alongside it.  (Sometimes even a fox!)

I must have ridden Cole there a dozen time before he settled down--and he does get a bit antsy on
it when we haven’t done it for a while.  I don’t think Ellen had much trouble with Dante in the early
days, but Ranger was a challenge.  Cruiser did pretty good, but that is mostly because I spent so
many days walking him back there when we were doing his physical therapy for his bowed tendon.

Over the years, Kevin did take Starry back there occasionally, but not with much success.  He had
a reason to be reluctant.

Now, you are probably bracing yourself for a long, drawn out story on how we taught Starry to
behave.  Don't’ worry, he was great the first time out.

It was a case of setting Starry up for success.  To begin with, Kevin free lounged him for 10 minutes
before he went outside.  That way, he was in the right frame of mind.  Then, we made sure he--not
only wasn’t alone--he was with his two best friends!  

We figured that Starry would be happy to just follow Dante, but as soon as Kevin mounted, he
marched right out in the lead.  He was very excited to be out on the loop.  It took less than a lap,
and he settle right down to follow Dante.  

We have gone out there a few times, and he has been good.  Only once, when he joined Ellen as she
led Ranger, did he act up.  Kevin had to bring him back the the barn.  The next time he was with
Ranger, he was fine.

The hill may be inhospitable, but it is still nice that I can go out and a “trail ride” with my best friends
when we can’t cross the river.