Day 2 Weekend (I rode Farley in a Hackamore!)

My sister does not get to go riding with me as often as she used to, now that she has a "real" job. With my parent's blessing, we skipped church to go riding together on Easter Sunday morning. She is the one in (my) blue tights in the pictures, I'm in the purple tights. She is riding her fat little mustang - Sally. On the last trail rides, Loreleigh complained that her synthetic western saddle horn was tapping her stomach during some of our more "interesting" gallops up hills. I offered to let her borrow my old specialized endurance saddle (w/ fleece cover of course), complete with the extra gold breast collar I had picked up at the tack swap. She leaped at the idea (mainly because of the sheepskin cover).

I let Loreleigh chose the riding location, and she chose Oroville, so Farley got to do the same trail as yesterday. Because she was so good yesterday, I decided to try out the arab sized Sliester hackamore I received as another tack trade (cantle stowaway pack for english saddle). This was her first time in a hackamore.

Yes, those half chaps in the pic are the ones I picked up for $5 at the swap and tried to resell for $10....

At the top of Sycamore hill (the name changes depending on what map you are looking at) there's some hitching posts with picnic tables. We stopped for awhile and then turned around.

(Loreleigh looking at her fat, sweaty Sally)

The view from the top.

See the red things on the stirrups? That's a neoprene tail wrap. It was one of the really long ones. I cut it in half and wrapped them around the leathers right above the stirrup. I was hoping that it would eliminate my need for half chaps (making it easier to run). They do an OK job, but not wonderful. I wonder if I had not cut it in half, and left it long, if it would do a better job?

Farley enjoying the grass.

Another grazing break on the way home.

A picture of the hackamore I was using. Yes I took this from the back of the horse....She did GREAT in it. We did some easy trotting, switch backs, up and down hills. She actually necks reins fairly well and works off of my seat and legs. She suprised me. I'm not sure I would trust this at the beginning of a ride, but I would transition after the first half of a ride - especially in a 100 miler. I did pack her regular bitted bridle, just in case, but I was VERY impressed with how well she handled for her first time in a hackamore.

Near the end of the ride, I realized we hadn't taken many pictures while riding (front views...not back views), so we passed the camera back and forth, trying to get decent shots.

I told Loreleigh to be careful. Matching tights, helmet, and saddle bags - someone might mistake her for an endurance rider!

We were almost to the trailer and running out of time for pictures! Ahhh! BTW - it doesn't work to cue the horse to the right, while twisting your body to the left in order to face the camera. It turns out looking like this.

And this. Eeek! Look at my heel!

Loreleigh on the other hand looks wonderful in her pics (we'll chalk that up to my superior picture taking abilities :).

Watch out Loreleigh! You are starting to color coordinate!

Loreleigh is borrowing this saddle now, so maybe I have her half converted?

6 miles ~1:45