Photos and a solo ride

So usually I am just posting reams of my own photos on the blog, but today I am going to share some taken by my talented friend Deborah Wilson of Deborah Wilson Photography. If you use Facebook, please give her page a "like"! I think her work is something special...

Gordon and his blonde girlfriend

Hanging out with the pigs and goats.

My chestnut boyfriend

Gordon's Fjord horse Sandy is like a comfy couch!

Beautiful Sandy Pants!

Our dear friend Brian was here too, and he acted as Deborah's "gaffer." She took this beautiful photo of him. I love the saying on Brian's shirt. So true.

And Deborah took some great shots of our sweet old boy Tristan, who I am afraid is literally on his last legs. He is having increasing difficultly standing up and a decision will have to be made soon. He will be 14 in November and is true hero of a dog...

Check out more of Deborah's work on Facebook! She is a talented artist and a beautiful person. She's coming back again this fall to shoot on Goat Mountain. 

Meanwhile, last week I did my first solo horseback ride EVER...

I just rode in our sand ring, with my iPhone and helmet, and our friend Luc was in the vicinity. I told him to call 911 if he saw me lying motionless in the sand, LOL. But truly, I used to think I would NEVER have the confidence to ride alone. 2-1/2 years after starting lessons, I have now accomplished it!

It helps that I have a great, calm, steady-minded horse.

I love my Roo.

We have had a couple of eventful trail rides the week before last. On one ride, he jumped over a three-foot wide rocky stream. Note: I do not jump on horses! Well, I didn't jump. I guess I do now, because Roo jumped and I didn't fall off! Yes, Roo, who I have previously ridden through three feet of water, decided he didn't want to get his feet wet, so this big old Quarterhorse launched himself over the stream while my friends laughed at me. My instructor was there and everyone was impressed I didn't come off the saddle. But mostly they were laughing their asses off at me.

On another ride, Roo got quite sweaty, then went down on all fours to roll without any warning whatsoever. I have never gotten out of my saddle so fast! (I still have not fallen off my horse in 2-1/2 years of riding, unless you count the time Sandy spooked and sent me and Gordon flying out of the cart she was pulling.)  I managed to get him back on his feet before he could roll over and wreck my beautiful saddle. Once again, my friends were all laughing at me.

Then Roo decided of his own accord to canter through the woods to catch up with the other horses (which was really fun if slightly nerve-wracking.) My instructor was there, so I got a great lesson on getting my horse to listen and hold back when the horses in front take off. Roo is actually a great horse and very well-behaved but one of the things I love about him is the way he constantly challenges me. He is smart and occasionally lazy, and if he thinks he can get away with something, he'll take a stab at it, BUT if you let him know something is unacceptable, he takes that on board right away. He is 10 years old and has done just about everything a horse can do, and I am enjoying building a trusting relationship with him.

 So I had a steep learning curve last week but it was great for me, and on my latest trail ride this past Wednesday, I was able to apply everything I learned, and we went over that same creek by walking through it instead of jumping it.

And on that note, I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!