Had a fab ride today!
Here's my ride (start daydream & insert yourselves now) Trotted trough St Francis Woods (slooowly, he was like "are we really doing this"?) I let him be slow because I knew we were going for a while. Cantered "up top" (beautiful), picked it up all by himself as I shortened the reins. Cantered "in between" (double beautiful), big gigantic tanker on the road there, didn't bat an eye. Over the second bridge heading to the "137 stretch" he again picked up the canter as I shortened my reins :) had a really nice ride to the first tree line then broke to trot & kept that going through his scary stretch (why he's so looky there I'll never know, he does it fine going home!!). Under 137 trotted past the school kids over to the grass & cantered Adler. Moved to the trail & kept going til the first ditch (pipe). Walked some, then trotted til we got past the bench & bend, picked up the canter by the first "swamp" and rode that stretch til we came to the "valley of the logs". Walked. Saw a snake! let him catch his breath & then it was back to the trot (past "the swamp" and rushing water drainage pipe up to Oak Spring. Hottie Bicyclist comments: "Nice Horse" (you're not so bad yourself honey ;). Coming up to train trestle & bridge: loud train whistle (holy crap), trot through the big puddle (the one you walked through, Tina) & down the canoe launch path about 8 yards in. Turned him around to look, could have cared less. Trotted to 176 with minor stops for trail maintenance (low tree branches gone now!). Cantered the "176 to Old Rockland" stretch once we were past the houses; Very Good Boy Here! Over the road & trotted to the "open hill". After we came out of the slight first curve (by the blood) he knew the drill. I started to shorten and .......... Canter! Man, he loves that stretch I think because it's wide open on both sides, I love it cause it's uphill & he powers up. Turned around up top and headed home. Much of the same going back (and another train on the bridge) cantered & trotted pretty much the same spots. Ran into (not literally) little kids & teachers in Adler woods. Kids petted Gracie. On the buckle extended trot at 137. Picking up speed. I pick up my reins, he picks up the canter. Doesn't bat an eye the whole stretch (he's a total Excuseman). Walk pretty much after that til the first bridge (pond one), canter up the "sandy stretch" all the way along the oaks til the middle of "up top". Have to walk & let him relax and cool down. See big fat TOAD in St Francis Woods hope he doesn't get squashed. Home, bath, backwash, turnout with the boys & the bitch. Gravano & Grace were together & Skye starts walking over to them (flirt) so Gemmy starts trotting to her (get her in line, prize fighter!). Grace is like "I'm outta here" & goes trotting away. Smart boy!
It was a great day, I'm happy!