I have to tell my tale about taking Cezarr out for
our first in the world solo ride. Well OK, Tilly went too. Anyway,
loaded the boy up Wed after work and headed for Frenchtown up where Lynn
rides. It's a nice quiet place so thought it would be a good place to
go. But it was not a ride with out some distractions so was actually a
really good training ride.
So went to Frenchtown up above Lynn's house and
parked at the bus stop turn around. Got Cezarr saddled up. A few
cars came by, but that didn't bother him too much. There is a long row of
mail boxes there, so I walked Cezarr by those and he handled that well.
Had noticed that a couple blocks of wood were sitting by the side of the
road. Though that was really handy and decided to use them to get
on. To my surprise when I went over to them on the top of the block was
written 'Please leave for riders'. Ah, another short person that needs to
get on a tall horse. Hey, anything over 14 hands is tall for me. So
after I got on which took lining the boy up with the blocks a time or two we had
to go in circles a couple times to determine who was going where. Cezarr
seemed to think over by the trailer was a good place to go. Of course I
had other plans. Eventually we were headed in the right direction.
Down the road we walked. Nothing too eventful. A truck came by and
although Cezarr looked he didn't offer to commit suicide by jumping into
the truck or off the bank.
When we came to the end of the main road, there is
a sign on the road at the head of the next little stretch warning about
rocks. OK, this was kind of spooky, but he paid it just about as much
attention as Picara had the week before and I though Picara was being a really
silly girl about this sign. Which was look, side step all around it, and
never let it out of your sight even if it does mean going backward away from it
for 50 feet before we are sure it is not going to eat the horse. On down
the road we walk. There are some puddles here and there which we very
specifically go around each one. That's OK, why get your feet wet and
muddy when you can be dry on the other side. I have no problem with
that. At this point though a car came up behind us. Was able to move
to the side of the road and stop. The driver was very considerate and came
up on us really slow. They let me know they would be turning around and
coming back. Thought that was really nice of them, and they did return
shortly. They actually stopped and let me walk by and I thanked them
again.
At this point we come to a creek and headed up a
trail that runs beside it. Oh that sound of running water is scary, but at
least we didn't have to get our tootsies wet and cross it. The first
obstacle on this trail is a gate. Thank goodness it is open and we sail
right through it. The trails climbs a little ways, then comes out on a
nice soft two track road. We come face to face with of all things another
horse, rider, and dog headed in the opposite direction. Hey, this is cool,
another one like me. Let's follow them. NOT. Held the boy
steady while I let the other horse continue on and get out of sight.
Cezarr was just a bundle of nerves, dancing, prancing, shaking, and
squealing. Once again we had to do a couple circles to decide who was
going where. Finally convinced him which way to go. Next obstacle
was other gate. Again good that it was open and we walked right
through.
Pretty smooth sailing from this point. He
took some good looks and rocks, stumps, sticks, but no major scares. At
one point he stepped on a pine cone. This was kind of major. Don't
know if it was the feel under his foot or the crunching noise it make in the
silence of the mountains, but that caused a pretty major reaction from
him. Still nothing I couldn't handle though. I had a destination in
mind, so on we went. Next major hurdle was a forest service gate across
the road. The big scary metal kind that has a nice little trail around it
to one side. Well, Cezarr didn't know about this one. Looked like
the end of the road for him so he thought that was a good time to turn
around. No, we have a little farther to go and going around that little
trail is the only way to get there. Finally convinced him of this and of
course after all the fuss when he went around it he had that look they get that
says 'so what was the big deal about that'.
