Horse back riding

Grace's field trip has come and gone, and in true Gretchen form it didn't go perfect. IN FACT i learned i have a slight fear of horses. I know, I know, a horse you might say, but let me tell you, those are some BIG, strong, and powerful animals. They are only being led or controlled because they choose to be, and I know!

It started with us meeting at the school. Where Presley had to go potty so we ran to the bathroom and I thought it would be a good idea if EVERYBODY went potty just to be safe. So we did but as we were in there I could hear... nothing, and before there was A LOT of talking. We head back to the lobby and one of the mom's says "they are getting ready to leave" So the girls and I RUN outside and jump in the car as all the cars start to pull away. We make it in time and become part of a 12 car caravan.

Once we went threw the military check we drove the short distance to the stables. Both of my girls were SO excited at this point they could hardly wait long enough to jump out of the car and down toward the horses. Once we were at the stables and we were all given instructions on how to handle the horses they started to bring them out. People could ride solo, or double up and take the short 10 min walk on the pony trail. Each child would be accompanied by their parent who, would handle the horse and lead them in the proper direction.

Of course my girls rode together and we ended up getting a BIG MIGHTY horse named Joan. Once they were on Joan we headed for our pony trail. Not even 10 steps into the walk Joan stopped. The horse handler instructed me on how to make her go and she did.. so things were looking good. The girls were REALLY high up and I was a little afraid that the two of them didn't fit so well on this horse. But we headed on our way. Once we rounded the first corner, the first corner where i could see NOBODY from our group, the only people i could see were just down below where there were some private horse back riding lessons going on, Joan stopped. I stood there and pulled on her rope as instructed.. leaning into it to try to get her moving. Joan however didn't like this and pulled her head back with some gusto and neighed at me.... okay, okay I thought... She obviously didn't like that. So we stopped. Which did give me time to take a picture of the girls on Joan.

As we stood there doing nothing, waiting and hoping for somebody to come by I tried a few other times to pull on joans rope, but just like before she wasn't having any of it, and I could feel her looking at me with hate in her eyes. I had an awful fear that she would buck the girls off of her or kick me. So I just kinda let her do her own thing. After about 10 min of doing nothing I decided it was time to inturupt the horse back riding lesson. I felt bad, but really.. how long could I wait. So I yelled down for help.. "HELP.. THIS HORSE WONT MOVE" The instructor looked up and said "ohh Joan..." what? what? you can tell who she is just because of her attitude.. good lord why did they give ME this horse.The instructor sent up a gal who wasn't riding a horse but HAS ridden them before and was the parent to one of the students she was teaching. She told me to move the rope back and forth and she patted Joan on the bum while making that clicking sound with her mouth. FINALLY Joan moved, and we were on our way again.

After about 20 feet Joan stopped again, I swayed her rop back and forth like instructed and it worked!! VICTORY!!! So we continuned on our way. I wasn't sure if I should talk to Joan or just keep quiet. I was told already to NOT make eye contact so as hard as it was, I risisted looking the very teprimental horse in the face. Once we were at the highest point of our trail, higher than I could yell for help Joan stopped again. GREAT! there I stood like a sitting duck, a few times I tried the swaying the rope back and forth till she did start going but she turned right at me and started towards the cliff.. GOOD GOD! I pushed her and said "NO!" So she just stopped again and looked at me with a twinkle in her eye. I decied to just hang out, to just wait for help to arrive because lets face it, EVENTUALLY somebody would notice we were still gone. But the whole time we sate there waiting I was hoping and praying that this horse didn't get so pissed that she would decide to take off with my kids towards the road or down the trail knocking them both off her back and unconsouse. But because we stoped I had another oppertunity to take another picture.

Finally the nice lady who helped me before and another young man came running up this hill to my rescue. The women instructed the young man how to keep Joan going and he accompanied me the rest of the way back to the stables. In our conversation he addmites that he is actually VERY scared of horses but that he only came to watch his friend during her lessons. Great I thought.. two people who are scared, Joan probably knows that. Once back at the stables i told the guy who gave us Joan how testy she was and he ended up putting her away and bringing out Harry who I guess was just WONDERFUL.


WE survived!!

Once the girls each rode together, Grace wanted to go alone. So another mom took her on another trip around the pony trail and Presley and I doubled up with Lola and her mommy for one last trip. I will say it was WAY funner for ME having another mom to talk to and a lot less scary with a horse that wasn't as big as Ms.Joan. Velvet was a wonderful old gal, she is 30 years old and I could see over her body, which made her less attemidating. Presley wasn't as high up and Velvet just didn't seem as mighty. Although I'm sure, if she wanted she could have been.

Presley on Velvet

Velvet, Presley and mommy

Doesn't she TINY here?

Grace and Velvet

with mommy too!!

The whole darn group of them!

After everybody got to ride the horses they had the chance to feed them. Boy oh boy did the girls LOVE that. I think it made them a littler nervous, but I can't blame them. When Grace first dropped her carrot I said "No Grace you have to hold it for them" So I picked it up and held it for a horse who I thought was EXTRA gummy, he moved so fast that I even screamed and dropped the carrot. Grace looks at me and I said "oh well.. it's okay, he'll get it"

One of the horses had this heart on her and I thought it was SO cool. Then one of the dads told me that she was branded and once they are branded their hair grows back white. I guess i felt bad for her that she was burned with a heart shape, but I think if your going to be branded this is a pretty cute one (it beats a number). Plus how many awful things happen to us when we're young that we don't remember? So I pretend this brand happend a LONG time ago, when she was just a baby and she doesn't remember a thing.

I thought about getting the girls horse back riding lessons after this, since they just LOVED it. But WOWZA it's expensive. Oh well, once a year with a school field trip is good for me.