Ellen and the Hill

 Ellen and the Hill

When we go trail riding, we ride along the street to the trail for a bit.  The trail goes down a hill for about a quarter mile and then we cross the river.  

The river tends to intimidate Ellen.  She was able to cross it until the middle of January when it started to freeze.  Kevin and I have been crossing for at least a month.  Ellen has been content with just riding up and down the hill.  That is actually a pretty big thing.  Last year, she was very afraid to ride on the hill, too.  This year, she is riding it like a champ.  

There are parts of it that are flat and very conducive to trotting.  Last year, she was hesitant to trot in many of those places.  This year, she is trotting everywhere.  She even trotted a little going up the hill.  She is getting so confident trotting on the hill, that she is able to work on quality and distance.  (Dante likes to stop early.)

There were a few days, early on in the spring, where her anxiety levels were high, but today--she had a day with nearly zero anxieties.  That is a first, I beleive.

This morning, the river was totally crossable, and she rode down the bank to the water's edge.  Dante put both front feet in the water.  If Ellen would have asked him, I am sure he would have crossed.  If Dante would have crossed on his own, I'm sure she would have let him.  Neither one had the initiative, and no matter what I said to coax them to cross, they both just stood there looking at the river.

Ellen just didn't have it in her to do it.  Maybe tomorrow...