Trail again!

Alicia and I have been riding together more frequently again! She recently had surgery and is in 'recovery' which, as horse people, we understand as taking things easy but riding anyway.

 We met up again at the Polly Ann Trail on the 15th and went the same way I'd gone prior when I was alone. This time the snow was gone from the trail and we had more gravel from the former train line to contend with. We also went much further!

Alicia brought Amanda, and I've decided that we are the Triple A team. They have been dating since shortly after meeting for the first time at Oak Leaf in October (seriously, met online with a dating app and Amanda drove out to meet Alicia for the first time to camp all the way across the state).  They're great with each other and I love it.

Gwyn once again was great for loading and I'm really feeling the enthusiasm she has for getting out and about lately.

Then on Saturday (23rd) we met up again, this time in Dryden. The weather was warmer and fully sunny! I had to run into work to check sample results and did that as quickly as possible, and pre-dressed in my breeches. I basically came home and hooked up the trailer and left. Best Husband stayed with the kids. Bless him.

And color coordinated to boot with Sara's side nail business :D  

 Gwyn once again hopped right on with no hesitations. I don't think I'll ever stop mentioning it because it's still amazing to me and I still expect what she was when it comes to trailer loading.

Blue skies and a water slide in the background

Happy Mare is Happy

 I finally have a new case for my new phone so I felt secure holding it to take a photo while also trying to control a mare who JUST WANTS TO GET TO THE TRAIL DAMMIT.

 We wanted to try and get to the point where it crosses under the highway I-69. We almost got there. Maybe about a mile more but I couldn't tell because my estimation was based on us riding perpendicular to the mile roads and I knew we had reached a point where the trail took off at an angle. Plus it was getting late and we still had to turn around. I didn't want Eric to be alone with the kids for too long.

 I did use my hoof boots this ride, the Equine Fusions. Gwyn's hoof has changed SO MUCH from the time I bought them that she was slipping in them and walking more on the back soft part rather than in the cup of the boot themselves. They are now too big. Which is a great issue to have, imo! If I had been able to get an application of hoof armor on her after her last trim I would have gone without, but it was just too cold at the time. Her hoof shape is far improved. More on thoughts about that in another post.

 She got sweaty on this ride! We did a lot more trotting and I've decided I'm giving her a tiny trace clip to help. I'll likely clip more before Brighton as extended forecasts show GOOD weather *knock on wood* but pretty warm for a still very fuzzy creature to be making a lot of effort in.

And then, like a good Michigan resident, she had a Paczki, long after Fat Tuesday

I think it would be about 12miles total to get to the highway, and maybe 16 if we tried to go all the way to the Imlay City parking lot. That's a good goal for conditioning!