Incredible ride (my new name - cat woman)

Today we had a great, great time riding.

After an iffy start when we weren't sure we were going to go at all, we suddenly were on our way to the stables to meet the barn owner and her husband.

We've had this amazing development happen with this couple. They fit us perfectly. She is crazy into horses like me, (but has much, much more experience) and loves nothing better than geeking out about horses all day.

He loves the outdoors and is more of a motorcycle guy like my husband.

It's perfect. It's something that never happens with us. Either my friends are all into horses and the guys are just into TV, or the guys are into motorcycles and the women are into shopping. It was easier when we were rock climbers, because generally the couples we knew were climbers too. When we started a family we lost touch with them, and back issues for my husband meant it was time for a different hobby.

So now we have a couple friend!

Anyway when we had an opportunity to ride with them, we were hopeful it would work out. We've never been very good about taking time for ourselves where the kids are concerned. It can be hard to remember that you did marry this guy cause you liked hanging out with him.

Everything worked out (with a minimal amount of pouting), thank goodness.

We headed out for our ride at Canyon Lake.

I was pretty worried about taking our horses out, actually. I've recently switched farriers to one that doesn't require me to haul for shoeing, and she felt our horses just couldn't have back shoes on - their hoof walls were just a mess. Brittle, cracking, just awful. We had been invited out to a different trail ride, but it's on very rocky terrain. Not an option now.

But the Lake trail really only has two areas that are rocky, so I hoped they'd do okay. There were a few ouchy moments, nothing too bad.

Cibolo seemed to be in a good space, and I had a strange sense of confidence - especially given our last trip to the lake and all the bucks we had. I worked just a second on the lunge line and made sure I had him. I made sure to bend him several times before we headed out. We stopped for bending 2 more times on the trail, then I did a few other things. Anytime he started to move his head over to the side in a head check, I did a very, very light finger pull on the opposite rein.

When we were cantering and I was ready to slow back down, I didn't haul back on the reins. I did three pulsing pulls. And the one time he did a little crow hop during a canter I pulled him around and we did a few bends.

He responded fantastic.

And then, there was the vulture.

Part 2, tomorrow. :) With Pictures!