Horseback Ridin'

Note:  The following post is completely written by Maddie...enjoy!

For the first time ever I went horseback riding. No, not pony riding around a small corral but actually riding on a horse following a trail.  How did I get to all of a sudden?

Jake had gone to a Vikings game with Grandpa alone a few months ago. So since Grandpa had took Jake to a Vikings game he thought he should take me somewhere I wanted to go. I picked horse back riding since I knew Grandpa liked horseback riding too.

We ended up horseback riding at a place called River Valley Ranch. You ride with a group on a trail for an hour through woods and grass on a horse, NOT a pony.

A person who worked at the ranch called all of the people around us (about five people) to come into a fenced in area where the horses were. That just left us.

Lucky us we were assigned to a different group, a group with only three people, Grandpa, me and our guide, Sydney. The same person that had called the group before us asked us to come in the area where the horses were and asked how much we had ridden a horse.

Well, of course I hadn't ever ridden a horse so I told her that and lucky me again she assigned what now is my best bud Casper.

Clearly it looks as if he's 100 years old but that was the camera.

Anyways, some lady before had handed me some carrots to feed my new friend. Well, so much for those carrots because now I knew one thing; Casper does not like carrots at all. So instead I gave the carrots to Pebbles, Grandpa's horse who I think was to small for Grandpa. Here's my grade all in all for feeding horses food by hand: 0.

After about a million tries poor Pebbles who was getting very impatient by now finally got to eat the carrots, and I bet she was getting revenge on me because now I have a sore thumb because she bit my thumb instead of the carrot.

Finally we were able to set off with our horses, Pebbles, Casper, and Sarch and our guide, Sydney.

We were off and very quiet at first.  At times Sydney would point things out like how to move backward if your going downhill. Then came the woods and the incident with Sarch.

Let me tell you a little bit about Sarch. Yes, he seemed like he was big and buff, but actually he was a big scaredy cat. He was very frightened of puddles and the wind.  So all of a sudden as we start into the woods, me behind Sarch, Pebbles behind me, Sarch stops and Sydney has to get out of the saddle and walk Sarch. Meanwhile,I'm thinking that if we have to turn around because of Sarch I am going to have to stay here because I can't turn a horse around.

Finally we start moving again and at times Sarch would stop and back up. And the next incident happens with Pebbles.  Let me tell you a little bit about Pebbles.  She likes to trudge around and gets very impatient.

So as we were nearing the end of the woods I feel this big huge bump against Casper and Casper's head jerking up and I'm thinking hold on as tight as you can because Casper might rear.  Luckily Casper didn't because he's such a good horse.  Grandpa and I still don't know why Pebbles did that to Casper.

Next up we started nearing a huge puddle. Here was Sarch who I thought would just stop and not move but he kept going and surprisingly went through it with just a little hurry.Casper on the other hand had a mind of his own and decided to go through the grass instead of the puddle. I still think he's the smartest horse in the world because I would not have been able to steer him into the grass. Pebbles just followed Casper like there was no puddle next to him.

That was basically the end of our riding and as our group came near the area with the horses I bet Sarch was thinking that, "I'm done riding, yay!".  Me saying "thank you and goodbye Casper, I'll miss you!" over and over again, and Grandpa waiting patiently while Pebbles was going potty.

Getting off was a little bit embarassing. At the time I was thinking, "I'll jump off my horse and land feet first."

Wrong, I actually landed on my knees. I wasn't hurt but I got some grass and dirt stains, and yes I did check that I didn't land in poo.

As Grandpa and I headed back to the car I told him, "I'm pretty jealous that Kelly gets to go here a lot." And , "When I come back here I'm going to say can I have Casper and Sydney?"

So that was my first time riding a horse, no not a pony, a horse, a horse which is now my best bud.

Thanks Casper and Sydney!

And mostly thanks Grandpa for introducing be to a new friend, or I should say new friends!