Saturday Ride Malaki, April and Sarah

Met a new friend and her mom today on the ride.  They wanted to learn more about the farm and her mom asked if she could volunteer.  Christina rode behind me today on Freckles. The ride was huge and the one after even larger. The temp was finally a little better 62 or so.  The trot ride was huge.  The problem was there were motorized vehicles on the trail blocking our trail. We lost out on many trots.

Malaki getting ready to ride

New Horse that SarahB rode.

April has this great quality of looking at me when I spoke with her

Silver the new horse

Malaki was sneaky and put in a couple of quick steps for me. He's such a nice guy. I learned a new thing from Sarah. She told me that if he is slow on the step that if you rub the sides with your leg as he walks they horse will walk faster. It worked. We saw a few deer today a very small one was we walked up the tricky hill trail that bends up the hill goes around a few trees and over a couple of logs.  Malaki did bite the new horse April.  There was also another new horse Silver.  He was pretty and sweet.  I realized today that Bobby likes to sell horses at a profit. It is part of his enjoyment. He says he makes profits. You know he's a pretty savy guy.
Kanti was happy helping out with the horses. Its nice to see. I dont think I could ever get to theat proficiency.
Ill post some pictures later.

Duke - Leaves Bobbys for a nice horse farm

I have mixed feelings on Duke leaving Bobby's. Although he taught me all I know about advanced trail riding, I am happy that his hard work at the ranch can lead him into a position that he could truly enjoy. I know he was an event horse before he came to the ranch. He didnt like walking in water.
Some horses connect with you. I never felt that he knew I was loving him as much as I was. I always tried to talk to Duke. Domino would make eye contact at the corral. With Duke, I would dream of him understanding that I wanted to spend my time on the trail with him. He gave me so much. I wonder if he ever realized how much I adored him.  Here is a picture of his beautiful eye.  He was always with the breast holder and the nice red strap. His tail is so long and his stride so strong and smooth.  Duke taught me to cantor through the field. I thank him for his patience. I cant tell you how many times I gave him the wrong direction and he forgave me. I wasnt the best rider he had but he made it so I was smooth as silk. Bobby sold Duke last week. Sheila was surprised he was sold with Smokey.  I love Duke so much. I think he saved me from falling off him.  His control with me on his back. When it happened I like to think that it was my skill but Im pretty sure it was his patience and smarts that had him understnad me and finally slow down and stop galloping back to the farm. I have tears in my eyes because of the dept I feel to him for caring for me and keeping me safe all these years I have ridden him.  Sheila said that she was so surprised.  Bobby Jr says he may come back. Sarah says hes in a good home.  I say he did me so much good in my life I can never repay him for his lessons in life and the confidance he gave me.  I will truly miss him.  xoxo Duke!

Beautiful Duke and his white yes

Happy Birthday to Me 2013 - Duchess April Foxie, Mel and Andy

Today we all went to Bobby's Ranch for my birthday ride.  I so enjoyed it. Sheila took us and I was the back up guide. Sheila gave us a few trots.  April wasn't interested in trotting and I gave her a little encouragement and then we moved her up to the front with Sheila and we tried our first trot.  She did great. She was riding Foxie.  We had the next trot around the first corner after the woods stretch then the 3nd one after the muddy turn that Duke likes to get on the bridge but we instead took a left at the top and as we trotted hang a hard right into a beautiful small trail. Then we got back on the trail and curled around to do another trot around the lake that was great, the one where the terraine dips with a hill, and had our last trot before the bridge again.  I felt kinda funny that maybe I needed the stirrups up higher.  I did an interesting thing where   i went from side to side on poor beautiful Duchess.  Ill post some more pics later.  Duchess knew exactly where we were going to trot. She is so smart.

Colleen Set me up for a early B-Day Ride.

Great ride. The ride before was very large this one was able to do a trot ride. I was on beautiful Duchess behind Sheila on Tulsa. She was in such a great mood it was amazing to ride with her again. Colleen was behind me on Andy.  At the beginning of the ride Andy bit Duchess and she gave him a big ole kick back. I hope his front paw is ok. The weather was still kinda of nice 50s I think. I wore gloves still.  My Duchess was tired. I was mad that I forgot carrots that I had bought just for them. Malaki was taking a rest today.  Sheila says he is older. I was thinking about maybe learning to take care of him.  Maybe I would lease him from Bobby so that he coudl have a lighter summer. Sheila says that he is getting older and the summer is tough. Im thinking about him alot I like him.  I took lots f candids of the horses today. Akiva, Apache, Jewel out on the trails with us today.

Malaki, Kanti, Olivia, Sarah,

Domino always gets my attention.  Hes a total favorite for me. Beautiful Domino.

Hanscome Domino, he is like a hero.

Pretty sure he smelt carrots.

Malaki wanted to go off the trail 3 times today. He put his head off trail and just walked that way, He waited for me to give him a nudge back.

I dont have enough pics of the minis and the donkey and sheep

Cash, Winston and Belle having a snack

Kanti is beautiful here getting ready for a second ride of the day.  She is so happy.

Again a beautiful picture of my beautiuful horse Malaki. 

This is an amazing picture of Malaki. Hes a sweet guy that I love to go out on rides.

The water was so nice and clean to drink. Malaki was loving the cool water.

Coming back from the ride Sarah in the lead.

This is a new horse, April, Sheila rode her on the next ride

Trails were looking so much better than the snowy, icy winter. 

Colleen, Andy, Blue and a cold windy day with a huge trail ride today.

Colleen coming around the corner on her favorite friend from Bobby's "Andy"  Big Smiles from both.

I was certainly nice to have Colleen back riding today.  I wish it wasnt so cold, windy over crowded ride etc.  When we pulled up to the dirt road we could see the corral was full with horses ready to go.  It was going to be a big ride. At least the trails were clear of snow, mud and ice, finally. It took a while to load. The wind was strong. When we pulled up I knew we were later than I like because Malaki was getting the first rider, it wasnt me.  I jumped out of the car and ran to sign in with Bob in the office.  Colleen was looking great on the trail. As I approached the loading ramp (that was newly re-finished with strong boards), Sheila had Blue ready to go.  It was so cold and my hair was still wet. It must have been a little over 40 plus the wind.

It was a large ride and Colleen and I were near each other. She smiled most of the time.

We didnt split the ride , too many small children. Bob said that one of the children was too short to ride today, but did.

Even though the trail ride was short (no lake at all) it was still beautiful and fun.

Blue's beautiful face as he turned to look at me and the rest of the ride.

Nice Long line of riders.  The children were in teh back tehthered to Sarah, Olivia and Cassie.

Finally able to take our hats off.

This guy (Dallas I think) was following Olivia while the next ride loaded. He was sad he didnt go out again.

Pedro and Figoro looking as sweet as ever.

Tango being sweet and silly.

He surprised Colleen and I when he dug down into the hay and threw it up in the air.

I jumped on Blue, hes a good guy.  He walked over and broke through the ice on the barrell to get a drink.  He seemed pretty on-his-game. Sheila told me she had Andy all set up for Colleen. She said she wanted to make sure that she had a good ride today.  I was so happy to see them both together.
We all stood and crept up for it seems like a long time.  Finally the ride was loaded. There was 4 guides and it looked as though three of the guides had a small tethered child with their horses. I think it was a stressful ride for the guides (Sarah, Sheila, Olivia, Cassie)
We knew it was going to be a slow one and none could split off because of the added children.  We didnt even go near the lake.  We took a right even before the sandy clearing.  I imagine it was a ride that wasnt easy to guide.  Colleen was smiling each time I looked back.  Andy was taking excellent care o her.  She was totally beaming. We had an uneventful ride. It was good.  I dont want anymore snow or the ice.
Colleen had her new car it was small, red, cute, shiny and powerful looking. She had a smile a mile wide.