Trail ride!

Boy the days fly by. Seems the older we get the faster they fly. Kind of like the feeling of flying when you are cantering your horse.
This year, I have been taking riding lessons, and my instructor has made Libby and I work really hard this summer. Cantering in 100 degree heat! Why the total of three laps around the arena had us sweating buckets of moisture! And the first time, I had a death grip on the saddle horn! In my minds eye I felt like I was all over the saddle, and I remember thinking how Libby could stay standing, AT A CANTER, with me moving all over the place! WHEW! That was a stretch.
The next lesson, instructor thought I did so well, and looked so well balanced in the saddle, that NOW I had to hold my right hand out, and point my fingers. This was interesting, because now I was forced to sit balanced. Libby caught the tips of my fingers out the corner of her eye, and startled for just a half a stride, and then she remembered she had this lop sided, unbalanced rider on her, and she better pay attention.
During the cantering sessions, I thought I would NEVER remember the rythum that I felt as a kid, riding a horse at break neck speed! But during my last lesson a week ago I felt it!!!! No hands on the saddle horn. My hips rocked with the beat of the hoofs. Yep! It was pure joy! Libby knew it too, and that was an added bonus.
Then because my instructor is instructing me to ask more of Libby at each lesson, Libby is getting a bit of an attitude, when it comes to loading in the trailer. She has two donkey's for pasture mates, and I think she is getting a bit of an "Ass-ah-tude"! But we are working thru this and I am not as intimidated by her as I was this spring.
Libby is a very well trained horse with a kind soul. I can tell when I ride her, and know that she is surprised that I am knowing just how much she does know.
Last weekend, I finally got to do the one thing that I have longed to do like in FOREVER!!!!! Ride the sandy trails down along the Columbia River! (relaxed!) She got quite a work out walking in that sand, and my butt and knees did not get tired. At one point I could of even fallen asleep the walk was so rhythimatic! THREE hours we rode! When we got to the waters edge, Libby needed no coaxing to get in the water. It was great! Before the weather gets really nasty, I would love to get in a couple more rides along the river this year.
Expanding my horizons, 1 year at a time.

(Thank you Shannon Ternes for the pictures! Added to my treasures!)