We pulled out of the drive at 7am Fri, heading to get fuel & ice. Once at the gas station a guy mentioned that my truck was leaking freon. OH NO! Not a good way to start out for our first ride. I assessed the situation & discovered a hose clamp that was loose. Out came my tool box (thanks Daddy for teaching me the importance of having tools & knowing how to use them) & the leak was soon fixed. We were off & driving.
Heading down Hwy 49 between Auburn & Cool is never an easy drive with it's winding, 8% grade, but driving into the smoke of the Foresthill & Colfax fire did nothing to set my mind at ease. Luckily the Cool side of the canyon was smoke free & gorgeous. On to the Dru Barner Equestrian Staging Area. We arrived early enough that Launi was lucky to get a stall. What a gorgeous campground. Not long after we got there Blaze arrived with his mom & dad so Launi had a neighbor. They quickly became BFFs.
Vetting in was anything but smooth. Launi had a sore & swollen spot on his back from his rambunctious, yearling pasture mate. He also sported 2 cuts on his hips from the colt practicing for the stallion games. Vet's suggestion, no more pasturing with the colt. Poor Launi. Of course it didn't end there. When I trotted him out he was so lethargic that TWO vets thought he might be off but couldn't say which, if any, leg. Was it his sore back? Was he sick? I tried to explain that he wastes no energy except to give me a hard time. Launi got a C for impulsion, attitude & gait at the PRE-ride vetting. Thank you Aurora for going back to the vet & trotting him out again. Your legs are a much better match. lol
Launi started the ride really well. At least for the first 100 yards or so. Then all his energy came out & my ride was on! Three times I had to get a long way off the trail to let horses go by because he was getting out of control. And believe me, as big as he is he can get out of control quick. I'm happy to say he never bucked, but I had my hands full just trying to keep him from running away. By the time we'd gone 5 miles I was ready to call his Godfather to come get him. lol For the next 25 miles we played leapfrog with a gal on her pinto. While nice to know we weren't on the trail alone, it was hard at times because we paced differently. I was trying to keep a steady trot while she was racing ahead & then walking. Launi stayed wound & pulling on me but at least he NEVER bucked. Finally we made it to our 22.5 miles lunch stop. Boy was I glad. I needed that break more than Launi. Only 7 1/5 miles to go so I tried to slow down a little. We started walking most of the uphill & tried to keep a 5mph dog-trot on the downhill & flat. Crossing the finish line I still had a lot of horse. Launi was still pulling to trot, with ears pricked forward. I have no doubt we could have continued on down the trail. Of course Aurora was there to trot him for the final vet check because I had no doubt he'd walk to my run. And the vet's final comment: He sure doesn't waste energy does he?
What an amazing day! Launi far exceeded my expectations. He ate & drank like a pro; he kept moving forward even if a bit too fast sometimes; & he finished with time to spare. Launi learned that he LOVES to trot downhill. Not sure this is a good thing for me. He also learned that he LOVES to trot. Now that's a good thing. I learned that I have a horse who has the potential to be incredible on the trail. I also learned that I have a horse who's too big & powerful for short, old me. Guess we'll just have to make do though 'cause I LOVE my graduate. And NO he's not for sale! LOL
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.