Sandridge Trail Ride

Karin, Emily, Mitchel, Anni, Nolan and Ryan took both trucks and trailers to Sandridge State Park for a fun fast trail ride. The horses used were Easter Lily, Ayanna, Jewel, Oksana, Jenis and Sally.

 They had perfect weather for this ride, sunny and cool. They loaded 3 horses in each of the trailers. . Emily drove the big trailer with the old truck taking She, Anni and Mitchel.

 Karin drove the second truck with the smaller 4 horse taking Nolan and Ryan.  

 Above and below they are pulling out.

 While they were gone Mark worked on hauling gravel for the driveways and I graded the outdoor arena with the tractor. We had a lady drive here from Desoto, MO around noon to buy Lily's colt by Valiant. He is 13 days old today and so impressive. It didn't take Camille long to make up her mind.

She has named him Apollo. We took him to the outdoor arena where he showed off big time, rearing and actually doing the Spanish walk. She left about an hour before the trail riders showed up to unload from their ride. They reported it was fun and fast, lots of canter on these trails. Karin wanted to try Easter Lily on trails for the first time and was very pleased with her. Karin said Easter Lily learned to go forward at a decent canter or be left behind. Nolan started out on Jenis but about half way through the ride he and Anni switched so he could feel what a smooth Tennessee Walker feels like. Anni started out riding Sally but was more than willing to let Nolan try Sally out. Sally is fast and smooth and such a fun ride that when Anni heard she was going to get to ride her she jumped for joy. Now that Nolan felt that smooth gait he isn't going to want to go back to the Friesians.  Emily was so excited to ride Jewel again. She told me after the ride, "you can sure tell her mom was a racehorse." Jewel is half Friesian and half Thoroughbred and loves to run. Mitchel had a ball on Ayanna, any experienced rider that gets on that mare LOVES that huge movement. Ryan enjoyed Oksana. They rode for a little over 2 hours but no one thought to take any pictures. Below are a few pictures after they got home from the ride.

 Above is Emily leading Jewel to the barn to take off her saddle, below Karin is unloading the second trailer. 

 Below Ryan and Karin are leading mares to the barn. 

 Below Anni is leading Sally to the barn for untacking. 

 Mitchel has just unloaded Easter Lily and is taking her back to the barn. 

 We decided to leave the horses here until tomorrow afternoon as tomorrow the weather is suppose to be beautiful again. This means the volleyball players can ride before the games if they want. Karin is organizing some trail rides here on the 'death trails'.
The second group of people arrived not too much later to see the foals and stallions. Craig and Jacki brought them out. These people were also from Missouri but this time Taylor. Lily and her colt were taken over to the cabin field to be the with the other mares and foals until the riding horses leave. Once they leave we can move the mares back here and give the cabin ground a rest. Sheena and her filly were let out in the paddock next to the stalls. The filly had a good time galloping around.

Sheena is being a good mom, staying right with her even though she would prefer to be in the shelter eating. Joan brought the mower over and while Mark was mowing she was week whacking around the house and garage. 

Yesterday I had snapped the picture below of the girls playing with Shadow the cat.

They carried him all over and made a bed for him in the wheelbarrow full of hay then got a horse blanket out to cover him up just in case he got cold. Shadow is such a good cat to put up with all of that. This evening Mark and I went out to eat at Good Tequila's then to Sam's to pick up a few groceries.