Renegade Off-road

Successes this weekend -

~ Lateral movements and opening the gate without him RUSHING and pushing through it!
~ Flying lead change :) Only got one really clean one but that's a start.
~ The realization of how desperately I needed a shorter girth. Saddle slippage improved drastically (duh.).

Saturday's Adventure ~
Anyone reading this knows I've had some issues with my horse being nervous on the trails, mostly due to my nerves and especially in the woods. We've come a long way in more ways than one. Saturday confirmed that in leaps and bounds.

That morning I had picked 15/16 stalls (two of which are 12x24) and two massive run in sheds, water buckets (~32) and all that comes with cleaning up the barn for 15-20 horses. I was a wee bit tired, my lower back was tight and it was 90 degrees with high humidity. After doing Gator's stall and cleaning his waterer, I was soaked with sweat again. I decided we weren't going to work hard. However, I had (FINALLY) received his smaller girth and wanted to see how much difference it would make. I decided on a trail ride - walking only. We hadn't done that in a long while, I didn't have more than that in me and I was sure he'd enjoy it. I tacked him up and let him pick his path.

He chose a direction out of our normal - down the driveway and along the road. Despite the cars whizzing by the only thing he even ogled was a pine tree that was apparently untrustworthy. The BO's daughter is building a house on that side of the property and there is a driveway in to the site. Gator decided he wanted to go down there and then back to check out where they had dug utilities in through the upper hay field. We'd never been all the way up there. As we headed back toward the horse fields, the mares went crazy over something. I think, for good measure, he decided to spook - he did a 360, pretty much in place but didn't go anywhere. I told him the mares were just crazy and he should stop it. He did. Good thing for the new girth though! On we went past the BO's house and onto the logging path.

So, pretty uneventful so far right? Yup. I'm pretty pleased and singing out loud like an idiot - relaxed and happy as we ease along down the path on a loose rein. The deer flies weren't even too bad.

We come to a very large tree mostly blocking the path fallen in one of the last few big storms, I hadn't thought of downed trees. It was high enough we could only just duck under on one side. I hoped it wasn't loose but pushed him forward. He ducked, I duck off to one side; we don't even touch it. I was proud of our successful obstacle navigation. If I only knew.

Shortly thereafter, Gator stops to listen. I had assumed to the deer I heard running far up ahead. Gator wasn't phased, just listening, so I thought.

In retrospect I believe he was actually predominantly using another sense. His sniffer.

He started again, but with a purpose. You know when a horse OBVIOUSLY has something cooked up between those perky ears? Yeah. That sort of purposeful walk. A few strides in he swings his head in the direction I had heard the deer running, ears perked but relaxed. He was looking up into the woods over a 5 foot vertical embankment to our right. I didn't think much of it at all. He was just looking right?

Not so much. Suddenly, we were cresting it! As he heaves one last stride we top it we're in the thick of the woods and he's just walking on, ears still perked still relaxed as ever. I didn't even have time to react.

I was in shock. What the...? These are pretty thick, no actually, REALLY thick woods. We've had some good storms lately - trees are fallen all around us. So we have lots of thick trees, mixed with many fallen crisscrossed trees, plus saplings and holly bushes interspersed.

My brain kicks in and I curse him for his 'idea' in complete disbelief we're in the midst of these very dense woods with only more in sight. I knew I had better keep my wits about me and stay calm since I knew we were both complete novices when it came to navigating thick brush.

He scraped between a narrow opening between two trees and my left toe catches and I lose my stirrup as I'm still shaking off the shock. Uh oh. As I scrambled to pick it up he continued picking his way through and - he worked us farther in and off path. Shortly after I pick up the stirrup, he stops, then flat foot jumps a log. Awesome. I curse him again but can't help but sort of chuckle, and just concentrate on directing him as best I can. At some point he ducks down under a large fallen tree where I thought he'd just stop, and I have no choice but to hang off the side of him. Thank GOD for the new girth. He crushed through small fallen trees and pushes past saplings. He hung up a couple times on bent green saplings but carefully worked himself loose and on we'd go. Then we found ourselves in essentially a chute - trees on all sides, with two fallen crisscrossed in front. I back him out of that and turn another way to another dead end. We back up again and try door three. We're finally navigating back toward the path. He continued to crush small trees with his legs and chest, skirting around larger trees - but responding to me very intently. Slow down a smidgen, stop, back, turn, side step this way turn your head a little, to the left, now turn sharp right... We both remained oddly calm. Several times I directed us into tough spots but we had to work together to get out he tried everything I asked of him. He was impressively surefooted through all of this too, despite a couple understandable stumbles. He has been known to trip at a walk in a freshly groomed arena, after all.

We finally (it probably only took 5-10 minutes but seemed like an eternity) make it back to the path at a point where we were up on a roughly 2 foot embankment. He hesitated but scooted down it and tried turning back the opposite direction we'd come up the path. Um, no, butt-head. You aren't choosing where we go anymore today!

I couldn't help but burst into laughter once we were safely back on the path. I could NOT believe him! Seriously? Had that just happened? Finally after another minute or two of continuing on, ahead I saw the 'issue' of which I believe was his concern.

Mud. The normal 'mud stretch' at the lowest point on the trail was HUGE compared to normal due to tons of recent rain . He must have devised a plan to tromp through the woods to avoid the mud that wasn't even within sight yet; he had only smelled it. Is that even possible? Do horses have that much forethought? I think it has to be what he was doing, though I guess it's a possibility he also has a sick sense of humor.

He went through the mud with no hesitation, just a forlorn look down. This caused me to burst into laughter at the irony.

Shortly thereafter, we come to a fallen sapling ~2 inches in diameter stretching bank to bank across the path ~2-3 foot high . I figure, he'll step over it. Nah, he crushes through it. I about fall off of him laughing again and decide I'll never jump him. Ever after that display of through the obstacle instead of over.

We head up the hill and out of the woods, I'm STILL laughing my ASS off at him. In the open fields, I lean over one, then the other shoulder to see if he's scraped or cut. Nope. He didn't act or travel remotely injured either. I keep laughing all the way home. He wasn't even dinged. Actually, neither was I except for the tiniest scratch on my tummy from a limb.

I started compiling all the ways it could have gone poorly as we walked calmly along the big hay field. What if a green sapling didn't break or he got more tangled than he could handle getting lose from. What if he freaked when tangled. Or he stepped in a hole. Or he stepped in/on a bees nest. OR we spooked up a deer. OR he freaked at the very narrow enclosed areas. Or he scraped me off. Why hadn't I thought to dismount? I had to stop.

I was still smiling for some reason.

We had worked together to get out of that mess. Really well. We were perfectly calm. I had trusted where he put his feet, he trusted where I pointed him. We were walking back to the barn in one piece. I chalked it up to a good experience actually and reminded myself to pay a bit more attention in the future when I can tell he has an idea.

Living up to his name RS Renegade? I think so.