Tenoroc Trail Ride

I got an email last week stating the FSHC was planning a ride at Tenoroc this morning.  Their ride start times for Monday morning are 9 am, which is difficult for me due to other obligations but I figured I'd attempt to make it. If they left before I got there, we would ride anyways and maybe run into them on the trail.

Wouldn't you know that the morning I don't have any extra time is the time that Ruby decides she doesn't want to load.  For the first time, ever...I retrieved my crop and we did some refreshing on 'sending' and then went to the trailer again.  She tried to evade a few times but did eventually load herself in the trailer and stand there quietly while I climbed in, tied her, put on her fly mask, and closed the divider. I don't know what got into her.  I always drive very carefully knowing full well that some horses don't like to load because they don't enjoy being thrown around in the trailer. Anyways, we arrived at Tenoroc ten minutes before ride time.

It was just Jerre (actual spelling, pronounced Jerry) and Karen riding this morning and they were gracious enough to wait while I unloaded, groomed, and tacked Ruby.  Before I mounted up, Jerre asked if Karen or I were in any hurry.  When we replied that we had until this afternoon, he said he wanted to ride out, come back to the trailers for a quick break, and then ride another 3-4 miles before calling it a day.  A perfect training opportunity for Ruby. 

One of the main reasons I wanted to make this ride is because the weather was supposed to be 8-10 degrees cooler than normal today, but back to killer heat by Friday.  It was absolutely blissful - partly cloudy with a steady breeze.  It almost felt cool a couple times. 

Ruby was obviously happy to have company, I could almost feel the relief that all the responsibility of watching for monsters was not on her overburdened shoulders.  We started out on the usual wide, grassy path but it wasn't long before Jerre had us all off-roading onto some mostly unused trails.

My favorite view in Tenoroc so far.  We were about 20 feet over the water, though that's hard to see in the pic.  

Cypress trees, spanish moss

After a mile or so, Jerre led us down a steep, 20 foot embankment.  Ruby handled it like a pro.  We circled around and rode by the many different ponds and waterways.  We only saw a few parked trucks with empty boat trailers, and not one alligator.  Jerre took us down to the end of a boat ramp to let the horses drink but Ruby was more interested in eating the plants at the edge of the water. On our way back to the trailer, I saw my first indigo snake cross the trail ahead of us, very cool!  Ruby led or followed depending on what the other horses were doing.  At one point, she did not want to let Cash (Karen's horse) pass but Ruby backed off when I asked.

Jerre and Karen had a lot questions about Ruby, as far as how she became mine.  I told them that I contacted the local mustang rescue late last year and let them know that I was looking for an endurance prospect - and how excited they were that they had an Araloosa mare.  I told them about how Ruby tried to run me down the first time I met her.  I explained what I know (or have been told) about her past, and how I restarted her myself this past January so whatever bad habits she has at this point are my fault and no one else's. 

Another nice view.  We must have been a whole 30 feet above sea level here.

Two hours and eight miles later, we made it back to the trailer for a short break.  I offered Ruby water (no go) then took her to the trailer to eat her hay.  Before I walked away, she peed, good girl!  Though I wish she wouldn't hold it on the trail.  At least this explained why she was dragging during the first part of the ride. 

The second part of the ride was very interesting.  Jerre led the way again, this time down a twisty, single track trail that he himself made.  The problem - the spiders...I have an irrational fear of spiders.  It has gotten better in my old age, so that now I can (kind of) handle being around them as long as they aren't on me.  Lucky for me, Jerre was leading the way and taking out the webs but seriously there were times that he had 3-4 large banana spiders crawling across his shoulders *shudder*.  In an effort to miss the spiders still hanging from their webs and tree branches, I was doing crazy contortionist moves in the saddle.  It truly was a great little trail but it's one that I won't be using again until winter.  After a mile and a half or so, it popped us back out onto the north loop, much to my relief.  I was trying hard not to have an anxiety attack by this point - at least I'll know why if I suddenly stop getting FSHC ride emails.

Happy to lead the way

By this time we were getting close to the gun range.  It was very loud which is probably how we got close enough to startle the coyote.  He jumped out of the brush on the right side of the trail about 30 feet in front of us, ran down the trail a bit, then ducked back into the woods on our left. Ruby was leading when it happened.  She paused for a second mid-step, then continued on.  She's getting so brave!

Back at the trailers I offered Ruby water again, and she refused again.  Silly mare.  I stripped her tack and hosed her off.  Jerre made a point to tell me that I have a nice little mare and I have to agree.  Not one spook, and she was happy to go back out again after our break earlier in the day.  We did have more loading problems when it was time to go home (!!!!!!) and so we'll be working on that tomorrow.  We rode 11.7 miles and averaged 3.7 mph.  That brings Ruby's trail riding total to only 82.5 miles according to Strava.  I'm so proud of her - she's turning into quite the little trail horse.  I can hardly wait to start adding a little speed.