We rode at James A Reed (JAR) today and discovered it was National Hunting and Fishing Day. JAR was celebrating that. They had a field set up for skeet shooting. Coincidentially, it was right next to one of the trails that we ride. We turned around, but a park guy was right there and told us happily that they would be shooting in the field but the trails were open.
Obviously, he isn’t a horse person. But we were there early and they were just setting up for the skeet shooting, so we did ride beside the guys setting up the machines that hurl the targets high in the air. When we returned to our starting point, we could here the guns being fired.
Then there was the archery target spot. Thankfully, it was too early for that also and we had no problem with archers. I hear bow and arrow deer hunting is right around the corner. We had lot’s of fun last year with the deer stands and the invisible hunters cameouflaged. The thing that scared us most last year was a run-away cameo tent and a deer hunting cameouflaged “house” for the disabled. I’ll have stories to come
We took a quick spin around the park. I am getting Sage to respond to my reins for her head set position and not to pace when I ask her to go faster. Pacing isn’t very much fun on a gaited horse. It’s fun to work this all out with Sage. She’s been a beginning lesson horse for such a long time and probably few people have asked her to ride with concentrated reins. This is like pulling an old cadilac out of the backyard and asking for it to become a 2011 new cadillac.
Hope and Chip are doing wonderful on the trail. Chip has smoothed out his gait. Hope is no longer moaning with pain. She has learned how to ask Chip for smoothness when he gets pacy or trotty. Chip also has developed impulsion. No longer is he the sticky to go forward horse. Hope asks Chip to speed up and he responds. That is a delight.
We are having fun for certain.