Welcome 2023!

Miracle of miracles, I do have a lesson recap to work on (lol FUCKING FINALLY) but since I'm still struggling to organize my media from that one, enjoy a brief trail recap instead!

Start as you mean to go on <3 despite dealing with a cold snap the week before/of Christmas (featuring temps in the negative digits plus -35+ wind chills, JOY), things warmed back up for the end of the year, and it was shockingly beautiful on January 1. Naturally, that meant our trail group planned an impromptu get together! 

This parking lot is comically tiny and yet we fit four rigs in here - horse girls are badasses lol. As the only one with a gooseneck plus the longest of LONGBOIs, luckily I arrived first and was able to maneuver into a spot on the far side and leave room for all the bumper pulls!

We also did a super good job of trailerpooling and only one of the trailers had any empty slots. Go us!

If the trail looks familiar, that's because it is - we did the Moon Loop, which I rode for the first time back in November with just one other friend. With the unseasonably warm temps, we did run into more folks on the trail this time (one group of bikers twice, a single biker twice, and also some ladies with a dog), but everyone was friendly and respectful and patient as our big group maneuvered through. 

This helmet really needs to be retired and I'm sad about it :(

Trigger almost knocked me down trying to get on the trailer - he loves trail days!

Little bit of ice in one of the creek crossings. 

Luckily there was a rock path through for the horses so no biggie. 

There is a lovely stretch of trail that is open and flat enough for a good canter, so the majority of our group opted to let the horses stretch their legs a little - I made a valiant attempt at videoing but Ruby was feeling pretty frisky and after the third excited buck I dropped my phone in my saddlebag and opted to keep both hands on the reins, lol. 

We did 6 miles in 2 hours, and the horses with winter coats worked up a little sweat - despite me doing a partial clip in the first part of November, most of that hair has grown back already, but luckily Ruby doesn't get nearly as fuzzy as the old men, so she was fine. 

With regular lessons and showing on the docket again for 2023, I don't know that we'll have time for quite as many trail rides as we fit in last summer/fall, but we'll see what the year brings!