Riding in the Dark

Well I didn't get home soon enough to get my butt outside in time to go for a ride in the daylight so the horses and I went out at dusk. I argued my point with mom and dad that it was light when we left and then the moon was bright enough I could see the horses shadows when I was riding. lol I love riding in the dark, it's so peaceful well except for the occasional snowmobiler that goes by now that it is winter.

I went out and visited with the munchkins a bit and fed them the apple I brought home from school for them. Then I tried to take an ax and chip away at some of the ice along the barn so they wouldn't slip. It was warm out last weekend so stuff started to melt and then got froze in its tracks with some more below zero temps that were right around the corner. I got the halters out for them and Cocoa was all perked and excited to go! I nearly froze my fingers just taking my gloves off to tie their halters it was super cold. But none the less we braved it out and I had Cocoa sidle up to the side of the trailer and I hopped on and we were off with Dixie in tow. Finally, both my girls with, I hadn't done that in a while. We went through the backyard and man was the snow Deep! They were arguing over which one should get to walk on the snowmobile track even then they sunk in about 1/2 foot. I said Cocoa should get to since she was not only walking through it but I was riding her and Dixie is young so the end of that! :)

We made it to the backroad and Dixie was trotting along side us so after a bit I let Cocoa trot. They trotted beside each other beautifully, I even let the reins go and Cocoa was responding to my seat when I asked for a fast or slow trot and Dixie would mirror Cocoa. I had Cocoa do some sideways serpentine's down the road. We did a bit of stopping, backing, and then of course cantering too!

When we got up past the farm I let them canter the whole stretch. At first I had Cocoa do a slow collected canter but then by the end I let them have fun running with each other. I started to ask Cocoa to slow slightly and she went into a slower canter and I wiggled the rope for Dixie to slow down but she only slowed a little so I wiggled it a little harder and she slammed on her brakes. Cocoa was down to a trot at this point but I decided to hold on to Dixie's 12 ft. line because I didn't quite realize at that point she was at a dead stop, so when it came to the end of the line I didn't let go but she didn't budge and off I went. She pulled me right off Cocoa! lol I hopped back on and we kept going a little ways farther, Cocoa was getting antsy at this point so I had her do some really nice sideways. That is when I got an idea! I decided I wanted Dixie to go sideways with us. I started on the ground making sure she remembered sideways towards me..which she did of course. Then I hopped back on Cocoa and threw the end of the rope over her back and she came sidling right up next to Cocoa and I. I still can't believe how fast she caught on! So we did some more of that...Cocoa all the while not so pleased Dixie was in her bubble and quite close. By the end of the ride Dixie would come sideways towards us with me just lifting my hand up and starting to motion throwing the rope over her back!

We made it back and I put the blankets on the girls since it was supposed to be really cold that night AGAIN. Gave them their supper and headed in. When I looked in the mirror in the garage I looked like an eskimo, I was all bundled up and had frost all around my winter gear on my face, even some of my air that was out was frosted. By that time I realized my toes were freezing...oh boy. It took me a while to warm up the rest of the night..but it was worth it. I can't wait till in a couple of days the moon will be even fuller and then I can take them out for a real moonlit ride!

Savvy Out,
Olivia, Cocoa, and Dixie