Spring is Coming! Trail Ride in the Woods

What a beautiful day!   Temperatures were above 60 today which is a wonderful treat for late winter in Maryland.   Makes you think that Spring is here but of course we all know that winter may still have some surprises for us so it was nice to get out and enjoy the day.

The whole group before we headed into the woods.
Since I took the picture, only Golly's ear is showing
but he wanted to be included!

Through the years I have collected quite a few horse friends.  Some I have met through horse clubs.  Some have been friends for so long I can't remember how we first became friends.  Some I have met via Facebook.   Some I met because I parked next to them and asked if I could ride with them.   I started an email list that I use to let them know when I am going to be riding to see if they would like to join me.   Sometimes I have one or two show up - today seven wonderful friends and their horse partners joined me!

I am a bit of a time fanatic.  When I say I will be ready at 1:00 pm, I am ready at 1:00 pm and expect other people who ride with me to be ready too.   When I send out the emails letting people know I will be riding I give them a "butt in the saddle" time so they can plan accordingly based on how long it takes them to tack up and get their horse ready.

I have such a limited time to ride because of work and family commitments that if my three hour time frame to ride is eaten up waiting for folks I get a bit annoyed.    Some might call it bitchy but its just how I am.  On the flip side I also respect other peoples time and am VERY rarely late.

Today was one of those times.

I had it all planned out.  I would get a load of hay from a neighboring farm and be able to leave so I would arrive at the park a half hour before the designated time.   Didn't work out that way.  I had reserved  hay to last us until the first cutting of the year but when I got up into the loft, the only bales left were the ones that were nearly broke or already broke open.   Not the easiest to load so by the time we got them in the truck, I was covered in hay and unloading them back at our barn took much longer than I anticipated since we needed to use wheelbarrows.  (On another note... I need to find some hay to last us until June ... but I digress.)

So by the time I got to the park it was three minutes before the designated time.   Luckily I had a sheet on Golly so the only in depth grooming required was his neck and head.   With some quick grooming I was ready just 2 minutes late and honestly I am not sure anyone noticed I was late except for me.

The ride itself was great.  A nice mix of people who got to know one another and their horses and I think some will ride together again even without my invite.

Golly acting as a hitching post on the trail
for his good friend Shiloh

I love when people look out for eachother on the trail and this group was wonderful.   When one rider needed to dismount, another one hopped off his horse to help the remount process.   Riders moved their horses around to help out riders whose horses needed to be in certain positions.     Riders waited for the laggers to get across the streams and bridges before heading up hills.   Just great courtesy and a pleasure to ride with these folks.