A Change of Scenery

After my boy's Houdini experiences, I decided I needed a break from them and a change of scenery, so we came over to the island so I could spend some time with Ben. It's so refreshing to ride my horse, especially after a rough day. It's nice to work with someone who doesn't talk back and is generally willing to cooperate.

Since it wasn't raining, I decided to take Ben on a trail ride up to Gazzam Lake. It's been a while since I've taken him on a trail ride, since he can be spooky and resistant at times. Today though, he was really good since I'm really glad I decided to go. On out walk there I kept saying to myself how I wasn't going to fight him today, I did enough fighting with my kids the past couple of days I just really needed to do some relaxing. So instead of trying to mount Ben and ride along the county road to the lake, I decided I'd just walk with him until we got on the trail a ways. I picked a spot to mount him where the trail was really wide and had a side trail down to the water's edge. At first Ben was reluctant to go forward down the main trail, so I turned him around to see if he'd head down the trail to the lake. He liked that idea and after looking at the lake we turned around and I trotted him up the hill and then quickly turned him to the left down the main trail and he didn't refuse at all. I was very thankful!!

The rest of the ride Ben behaved really well and we had a lot of fun galloping down the trails. There were a couple times he spooked at birds, logs and stumps and one time he skidded in the mud since he was unsure as to what was ahead. I have no idea what he saw or made him stop, but at least I stayed on and didn't fall off in the mud. That wouldn't have been fun at all! I felt so free as we galloped along the trails! I was impressed too, because even though we were going fast I was in total control and could easily get him to stop if I saw a hiker up ahead.

Galloping along the trails, reminded me of the years I spent competing in Cross Country at 3-Day Events. What a rush those days were! Even though I'd love to do something exciting like that again, I highly doubt I ever will due the risk factors. I don't dare get myself seriously injured now when I have two young boys to take care of. But one thing is for certain, someday I will visit Castle Leslie again for another cross-country vacation of a lifetime. I can't believe that's it's been 14 years since my trip to Ireland.....high time I returned, right?! Well at least I can dream about it for now!!

(side note: I found these photos on the internet. Lame I know, but I didn't bring my camera while riding today. Hence the reason everything looks so green at the lake and on the trails.)