Today I took Ben on his first trail ride around Gazzam Lake. In order to get there I took a trail that goes up through my parent's woods and connects to our neighbor's field. Ben was pretty excited to see the open field and I'm sure he would have rather just stopped there to eat their nice grass for the rest of the day, but I had different plans. So up in the saddle I got and we proceeded on our way passing through another neighbor's yard, down their driveway and out on a little country road.
Ben was super on the road and wasn't afraid of any of the cars or trucks that passed us. I had to laugh though, since the one thing that did spook him along our way was a small herd of sheep. He stopped dead in this tracks and stared them down with his nostrils flared for quite a while before he felt comfortable to proceed.
Once we got up to Gazzam Lake, I decided I better take it safely and mostly walk and trot around the first half of the loop since I wanted him to get used to his surroundings and I didn't want any branches or logs to pop up on us unexpectedly. So after I made it to my turning point and knew all was clear I took him for a steady canter and then let him all out into a gallop. I could tell he was having as great of a time as I was.
It's been over 7 years since I've ridden on those trails and it brought back many memories for me. I love how quiet it is galloping through the forest and all you can here is the clicking of your horses' hooves against the occasional rocks in the path. During my teenage and college years I spent many summer days riding these trails and contemplating my life and where it was going to take me.
I'm so thankful to be where I am now. I have a great husband and two wonderful boys. My husband truly loves me and wants to make me so happy. He is able to notice when I am in dire need of his help and also needing a way out so that I can be able to find myself again. Thank you so much Jeffery for allowing me to purchase a horse! You don't know how much this means to me.
For so long I've been putting other people's needs in front of my own with my own interests and desires on the back burner, I've felt like I've been disappearing. It's so wonderful to be able to do something that you love again! There's no place I'd rather be than on the back of a horse and it's where I feel most comfortable and at peace.
I'd also like to thank my parents for helping to get their property ready again for horses. They have always supported me in my dreams and I am truly grateful for their love and devotion to their crazy, head strung, horse-loving daughter.
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