Kiko's First Trail Ride

We didn't have a lesson this week on Tuesday because we were getting ready for our tack sale at WCR. So last night I convinced Jeff to come out to the barn with me and go for a ride. Steph decided to head out there as well and work with Kiko and Kalani since she had missed Tuesday also. Jeff likes to go out to the pasture and find Axel and just get on him, bareback with no reins or anything. That usually doesn't go real well but he managed to stay on until Axel went for a skinny path between the electric fence and the round pen, so Jeff bailed. Stephanie got Kalani ready pretty quick and went out to make up for his last lesson where he was a total spazz. Jeff and I stayed back to groom Cody, Axel, and Kiko. We convinced Steph it was time to take Kiko on the trail. Meanwhile she and Kalani had a pretty good lesson. His first lesson with the hackamore last week did not go well. It was too windy and he was just freaking out. Luckily this week it was nice and calm and he did just fine in the hack (yay I get my D-ring bit back). He was kind of sore (probably from their farrier visit on Wednesday) so she ended the lesson early and on a good note.

We finished getting the other horses ready and covered in fly spray. I picked a wood tick off Axel's sheath, not exactly the best place to have a tick I would think. Both my horses were pretty beat up from bugs, hopefully the Wipe will last a few days. I've gotta pick up some actual fly spray this weekend. Any recommendations?

For some reason this week, Axel was just pissed about his skid boots. Jumped around like a fool, untied himself, and ran off up to the overhang of the barn. Then when Jeff went to lead him to the gate he was just angry and planted his feet. I'm not sure he'll ever get used to those boots, but I guess him being pissed off is better than him kicking himself bloody. So we mounted up on the other side of the gate from the rest of the horses and headed off in to the sunset. Okay well just headed off down the hill. This was Kiko's first trail ride, and probably her first time carrying a rider up and down hills. I don't want to put all the credit on the chiropractor because I'm sure Kiko's presence helped, but Cody was absolutely awesome. Calm, forward, and happy. I'm sure feeling better after the adjustment played a large role in that. We'll see next time we ride without Kiko.

We made it across the bridge and up the hill, through the woods, and out into the meadow. We even had a little trot and Kiko was a saint. I think she startled twice, but her version of startling includes planting her feet, that's the kind of spooking we'll take. We stopped for a photo since I made Jeff carry his new camera and then we went back down the hill. This time Kiko went across the bridge while being ridden, Cody had to lead though. And when Cody and Axel made their way around some trees and Kiko couldn't see them, she didn't mind one bit.

I'd call her first trail ride a success. Sheesh, I totally forgot to post this video, just another of the horses running up the hill. You get to see a little bit of Cody cantering, which he rarely did before the chiropractor (coincidence or not). They just had their feet done so everyone is a bit off.