Nothing big has happened to write about--and that is a good thing, but it still doesn't leave me anything to write about. We have been riding on the trail steadily through the month, which is unusual for February in our climate. There have been some really good rides, some good rides with little problems and a few bad rides. It is always a little trickier when we ride in the colder weather.
A few times, Bella had too many days off of trail riding, and her excitement got the better of her. I was with her on one of the rides. We could only ride on the hill because the river was too high to cross. Bella just wouldn't settle down and simply walk. She was prancing and dancing all about.
Shari did just what always helps Bella on these days. She would walk a little and ask her to stop and settle down. This works, but it takes a little time. We didn't go all the way up the hill, but would go a little further each time and then turn around and go back down to demoralize her when she got all bouncy.
When she did walk well, Shari would click her and give her a piece of carrot. This went on for a long time. Finally, Bella started to do really well. We decided to ride up to the top, turn around and do one more trip to the river.
On our way up, Cole spooked at some running deer. I was able to stop him readily, but then I saw Bob with his two Labradoodles coming down the trail. He saw us, put them on a leash and waited for us at Cole Burst Corner. This is Cole's worst spot in the hole park. It is a short slope on a corner, and I have consistently had troubles with him there since Day 1--hence the name. I decided I would be better off on foot.
Shari and I agreed that we would just call it a day. Bob likes to let his dogs run loose, and Bella was just not mentally able to handle it. We would be safe.
We approached Bob, talked to him for a minute and proceeded up Cole Burst Corner. He burst. He tried to run up it. I think it was because Bob let his dogs loose and they started running down the trail away from us. I struggled to keep Cole under control. He set Bella off, too. At the top of the hill, I was able to get him to stop, and he stood quietly. Shari hopped off Bella. I asked Cole to walk, and he exploded! The dogs were nowhere near us at this point. He tried to take off. I circled him around me. At one point he even reared. Bella started acting up, too, and she stomped on Shari's foot really hard. Every time I would get Cole to stop and then ask him to walk, he did it again.
After what seemed like an eternity, Cole settled down and we walked home. Well, that is except for Shari. She limped home.
That was my worst day with Cole. My best day happened a few weeks later. The night before had been cold and ice was starting to freeze on the river. I have been able to get him to step over the ice if it is only about a foot wide. This particular morning, it was several feet wide. He would have to step on the scary looking ice and break through it to cross the river. This isn't as easy as it sounds. None of our other horses would even attempt it.
Cole was amazing. I know that he didn't want to step on it, because I could feel his hesitation. I asked him for the first step and he did it! I clicked and treated him. We still weren't close enough to the water. The next step would be on ice, too. I asked, he very cautiously stepped on it and earned another click. One more step and his front feet would be in the water--but not his back. He did that, too. I clicked him and gave him a bunch of carrots. He was awesome!
Bella has become troublesome crossing the river. Sometimes Shari has to fight with her a few minutes before she will step into the water. We think that Bella is being a prima donna; she thinks the water is too cold for her delicate legs.
That is, until the day that Starry joined us. He went in first, and Bella followed right after him. They have quite the romance going on. Wherever Starry goes, Bella will follow.
One evening, I was riding with Shari. We were on our way home, and a motorcycle came by and caused Bella to do her dance. Shari got her to stop, I rode up to her, stopped Cole and we were talking. A man came jogging towards us. We were standing in the middle of the trail, and he politely asked which side we would like him to pass us. There are some huge pieces of gravel washed up in the middle of the trail, and he was jogging on them. Before we could answer, he began slowing to a stop, tripped on one of the rocks and went flying towards the ground. He caught himself in time. Bella and Cole simultaneously spun 180 degrees and tried to run down the trail. We got them to stop and all had a good laugh.
On another ride, I was riding with Kevin. We were trotting, and he came to a walk where the trail got rather hard. Off to the side, he saw a squirrel. He told me about it in case it startled Cole. Then, he couldn't see it anymore. As he looked around, the squirrel jumped out of the underbrush right by Starry and took off running. Starry, the horse who hardly ever gets scared at anything, suddenly went sideways. Cole just stood there and looked. So much for Kevin trying to warn us to help me with Cole.
So, that's how our rides have been going. Nothing big--just a bunch of little things to keep them entertaining.
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