Springhill Road Orange Loop – April 27, 2019
Amazingly, I was actually on time to lead this ride! I made sure I had at least one commitment, with Joyce P. (on Blue) wanting to ride with me. Ambrose H. (and Sally) had already arrived, and Bruce M. (guest, riding Honey) called to let us know he was on his way.
There was a bit of a surprise to find the Tri-County group camping in the main parking slots. Which is not against any regulations, and they had taken care not to block the through-access drive. We had to go to the end slots, with Joyce parking her big rig in the access road. Bruce double-parked with Ambrose. Bruce had not read the ride info and I had to explain that the loop would be approx. 12 miles with no known short-cuts to bail out. And while I would never knowingly push a horse past it’s limits, the pace was planned to be walk/trot/gait, and I had some concerns with Honey being a Haflinger and admittedly not ridden much lately. She actually did extremely well!
So, explaining that my silly horse, Kat, didn’t like anyone “up his tail” and asking that everyone keep spaced out more if we increased the pace, off we went. I want to compliment “my group” for being extremely considerate of not only me but the entire group. We mainly went faster up slopes, which the horses all enjoyed, slowing back to walk at the top. This worked extremely well until at about the 2 mile mark Kat (at a walk) did his “spook” but added a “spin” and I went flying over his shoulder in that classic position we’re all too familiar with! My landing was soft, as such things go, and Kat trotted back down the line and then off to one side, looking extremely surprised (I normally manage to stay on top). Joyce wisely called out for everyone to stop and wait, and Kat stood while I talked and whistled to him, the let me calmly walk up to catch him. While this sounds normal, my past horses were not known for hanging around, and I’d probably still be looking for them.
Anyway, I mounted and we were off again. The remainder of the ride was uneventful, and I was pleased that Joyce asked several times if we could pick up the pace. So I knew I wasn’t pushing anyone’s horse too hard. We bushwhacked a little bit, rode around the gopher tortoise enclosure (fence repaired since being burned), went down the fire break (which followed the trail), and passed the old appliance sitting in the dense section of trail (which only Kat appeared to notice). We passed one group from Tri-County as we were on the last section of trail.
We saw quite a few zebra swallowtail butterflies and the pink milkweed that is their larval plant. The horses were actually quite energetic on the last mile, again showing me that no one had pushed too hard. Everyone took time to cool down their horse and themselves before loading up to go home. Good ride, glad the group enjoyed it. And I only felt a little banged up the next week, ha, ha!
Submitted by Leatha F.