Her fellow walkers across the farm had been making fun of the draft gelding who was demonstrating a far more r e l a x e d nature.
She was pretty sure there was a fried egg sandwich for dinner rumour circulating about her. May they never discover the Baked Potato for dinner party story, ha. Kraft dinner with tomato juice and cauliflower on the side. He said he would email her when he had internet because he needed help deciphering her handwritten note, which he was keeping in his wallet. "Sure," Roomie said, "or text me from your phone there Mr. Fancy."
Their riding buddy said she had learned a lot by developing her theoretical horsemanship by auditing clinics, lessons, discussions when she couldn't ride in them. "What was Stu Black's comment, "just hide behind the ears and hang on?" and that she'd found eavesdropping between high level riders was sometimes helpful. At the George Morris clinic she'd only been there 15 minutes, but she still learned the lesson of the day. "Get OFF his face." ha
Jill just about fainted when the Eventing Team member replied, "There are 17 of them out in the barn. You can ride any of them, anytime and as often, as you like!"
And, so, they had gone out together. Can you imagine? Jill was overjoyed to be winter hacking with horses she had watched on t.v. at Burhley. She was telling her new stablemate about the past adventure…
"And, at first we were hacking on the road toward the conservation area, and we had garbage trucks braking and still sliding towards us on the ice, freaking out the horses, especially the one that I was riding that hates trucks! And then, we finally hit the intended snowy, tree-lined peaceful trail area. So, like, I'm out on finally on a sane trail ride, following the working student while The Boss is riding Gracie behind me and ponying Fynn. I'm in a good place, it feels good, not too challenging but exciting enough and we are doing a very bouncy, frisky, dream like, posting trot through the snowy hills.
And then, all of a sudden, picture this, Fynn comes trotting up beside my horse 'n me, - loose! And so, I looked back to The Boss, who was just smiling, ear to ear. I didn't know if she let the horse off the line or if he got loose some other way and she was just making the best out of it… but, there he was, bucking and playing around, bounding about and inspiring playful responses in the mounted horses. Then, friskily trotting past not just me, but then also the working student mounted on the big grey Charley…
And then suddenly that rotten bay runaway Fynn, just took the lead. Galloping off, full tilt along the path. So, of course Charley follows, and my horse is keeping up too. We are going f a s t, all of us, galloping over random conservation area property, ha." It was too fast, the footing wasn't safe and Jill didn't know what she could do to address it... she was in over her head on horseback yet again.
When Jill had seen break in the trees to keep straight while the others curved, she went for it. There was only room for a stride or two and then a stop would be neccessary. Was it possible? "And, I asked my horse to halt and she did." Whew. And, since The Boss had followed and Jill said, shaking as she spoke, "I am sorry, I am ready for this." The Boss broke out into a fresh grin, and answered, "That's okay! Jill! this is not supposed to be happening!"
They walked on, along the path of the others, who had slowed, finally, with the break in the herd, to regroup. Rather uneventful on the way back, but including a few jumps of conservation area fences and gates for fun. What an amazing ride!
Back at the barn, they had untacked and tacked up an entirely new team of horses to go out for the second "hack" ha.
