You are so very right...even the "quietest" horse still has a stronger sense of self-preservation than a loyalty to our safety. Period. And, of course, it can change in a nano-second, all going south.
This sport is not safe..and anyone who assumes it is, has been fooled into thinking so. Fellow spooked at a generator along the only *&% fence trees across the trail with no way around. He must have sensed horses had turned around..pretty amazing.
We turned around to hit the lower trail along the beach and head back that way..for those not in the area, it is like arena sand along a lake..quite amazing this time of year. We were able to do a nice steady trot for what seemed like miles..Even there, on the higher areas, we had to go around a couple trees. When we got almost to Granite Bay, we went back up to the high trail to loop back to SP trailhead. We encountered several other downed trees that we were able to get around successfully. I suggest leg protection, and if you are sensitive to poison oak, be careful as there were several areas that you had to booney crash through the "sticks" of poison oak (they have no leaves this time of year, but are still active).
I had the wonderful opportunity to ride with Baggi, an exchange student who lived with Kathy Sherman last year. The woman he is living with this year contacted me to see if I would take him out riding, as she is recovering from an accident and riding slower than he wants to go right now. I must say Kathy, you did a great job of teaching him to ride "American Style". He is a delightful young man! It was fun hearing stories about Mongolian horses and the traditions there. His G-Mother has race horses, including one who is undefeated. They run these horses full out for 35 miles! They don't ride mares, only stallions and geldings. The jockeys are children between 4 and 13. Baggi told me his own grandmother would not let him race her horses because she said it was too dangerous.
Kathy, Baggi would love for all of us to ride together, so let's set something up..!
916-663-4140 home office
916-718-2427 cellular
916-848-3662 fax
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