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Re: [RC] Do any of you ever get nervous? - Karen Sullivan----- Original Message ----- From: "Jennifer Adam" <jatatahoe1@xxxxxxxxxxx> I was riding a trail yesterday that I had never been on, it was cool and breezy, and we were with another horse that we've never ridden with before. My mare was hard to handle and she started dancing around the trail - near a rocky ledge that kind of freaked me out. . All I could think was - I must be crazy to think I'm a good enough rider to handle an endurance trail!! Jen, don't beat yourself up about this! Other also gave good advice but perhaps you and your mare aren't ready yet for so many new things (new horse, new trail, cold day)....just slow down and keep doing the trails you feel confident and secure on until you are your mare are a solid team, and conpliance from the horse becomes automatic...then venture out into new situations and people. On a recent camping trip; my goal the first day was to ride my 6 year old mustang up a 2.3 mile hill (she does get amped up, and her riding buddy was also experiencing spring fever)...so, despite many miles of gorgeous trails in the redwoods..THAT day was to go up and down this boring, steep fireroad until we had tired, humble little horsies.....only took twice <g>.....on the ride down a very narrow trail with dropoffs, both were wonderful Next day we looked at map for highest elevation, another fire road went up there...okay, 6.5 miles is good...all uphill <g>...heck, we even loaded them in trailer and drove them to the bottom!!! I knew once she was pointed uphill all would be good. Am I a weenie? Well, maybe, at my age, 50, I do like to think i am smarter than the horse...find ways to have a successful ride...have tons of successful rides, even boring when they are young.....then start branching out....we ended up having a very enjoyable ride that day; made it to the top, which was accomplishment, horses were great on way home. Hills are my best tool sometimes! Karen =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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