That Paso Fino trail ride

So, that crazy trail ride was now nearly a month ago. Oops! It was darn memorable, though, so I'm sure I can still do it justice.

When I got there, I saw little Sueno was being used in a lesson by a small kid. It was funny to watch, because while he did want to GOOOO, he wasn't trying to take off and was (relatively) responsive to her requests to slow him down. I got the sense that he's one of those horses that alters his behaviour based on the type of rider on his back.

After the lesson, I walked back up and hung out while everyone else grabbed their horses and started to tack up. Sueno had an English saddle on, and I said "Oh, this is fine" at first but thought more about it, and decided I'd feel better in the more-built-up Paso saddle (which was like a horn-less Western). This was a good call, as we shall discover.

The owner of the barn grabbed her own horse, a perlino stallion. He was quite pretty but very underweight, which was odd, though I didn't ask why and wasn't offered an explanation. Most of the horses there, while a bit on the lean side, were still in a healthy-ish range, but this boy had very little muscle or fat on him. Not emaciated, just THIN. He had lots of energy though!

I had assumed it would just be her and I going out on the trail, but her daughter and another girl who was presumably the daughter's friend joined us. All their horses were a bit... high strung, but they all rode very relaxed and easy with the confident way that only people who have ridden their whole lives seem to have. I don't have it, haha. I never have. But I know it and respect it when I see it.

No one but me wore a helmet. Weird, but... Anyhow.

The trail ride.... was FAST. We did a little bit of corto but almost immediately picked up a canter, and stayed in canter for probably 80% of the ride! Most of it was on a sand trail that followed the edge of a wire fence. The footing was pretty good and the Pasos are pretty sure on their feet, though mine tripped a little bit now and then. I didn't really worry about a catastrophic tripping or anything though, even in the grass portions, the way I might now on other horses.

The way out was mainly some easy cantering. I felt good at first and was able to roll back onto my pockets and follow the motion with only a little bounce. My stirrups were too long -- oops -- but I kind of just gave up on them for the most part and relied on keeping my seat balanced on the saddle. And just let myself get jostled and balanced. So be it! It was actually kind of nice -- and probably good for me -- to just let all that go and see what happened. I occasionally grabbed the pommel or stood on the balls of my feet (yeah, I know, I know) to steady myself but just let the ride happen.

The terrain was little rolling hills, sand, bit of scrubby grass. Some trees and houses along the way, and some fenced areas with fields -- although not big open farm-country-type fields. Still lots of trees and scrubby bushes around. There was one fun little hill that we did corto down and cantered up (though the girl were riding ahead by this point and cantered it all). The owner was great and very attentive to me, and let me hang back with her and set the pace for the two of us.

When it came time to turn back, though, was when the ride got a little crazy! The two girls up ahead TOOK OFF on their own and did fast canter or some gallop almost the entire way home! Again, I hung back with Jessica and she let me ride in front or beside her and set the pace.

Now. Most horses, especially on the way back home, would NOT be okay with two horses going faster further up the trail from them. Even Razz once took off on me in a similar situation, during Hunter Pace. So I fully expected him to lose his self-control and blow off my slow-down aids and take off to catch up with them at SOME point. But it never happened!!! He was absolutely amazing! Every time I asked with the reins and/or my body for him to come back to me and slow down, he listened completely. It was honestly one of the coolest experiences I've had in my history of riding. I felt like he and I were having a real conversation and really connecting. It was wonderful! I can't even say it was the result of amazing riding from me by that point, haha, as I finally just one-handed the reins, stood on the balls of my feet and grabbed cantle to stop being bounced and just stay out of his way!

Once I knew I could bring him back if I wanted to, I had an "Oh hell, why not?!!" moment and I actually did let him open up and run pretty fast for a few hundred feet. I could hear Jessica behind me asking if I was doing that on purpose, just to make sure!

The only moment that was a bit hairy in a ride that seemed like it could have ALL been hairy was when Jessica's horse sort of swerved to the left while she was riding up beside me. Sueno interpreted the swerve as a spook, so shied that way too instinctively. I lost some balance, grabbed mane and had a quick moment of thinking I might come off his shoulder. One of my stirrups shot home -- which was NOT awesome as I was wearing flat-soled Skechers -- but we both stopped while I got myself sorted out, and off we went again. I should mention, this happened before my previously described "Yeeha!" moment, so it obviously didn't put me off from having fun for the rest of the ride!! In the moment when I thought I might fall, I actually didn't feel afraid. The horse was small and the footing was soft sand. It was more of an "Ah, hell, whoops! Here we go!"

The whole experience was REALLY good for me.

-I went fast and didn't panic
-I trusted my body
-I trusted my horse
-My horse spooked a few times, but they were tiny spooks and reminded that not ALL spooks are BIG DRAMATIC CRAZY DANGEROUS spooks! They made me recall that little spooks actually used to be a pretty normal part of riding. I've just been lucky to ride mostly very solid horses these days.
-I let myself ride "badly" and it was completely fine. Sure, I was standing on my stirrups instead of in my heel, I was holding on with one hand, BUT I was kind with my reins and I stayed up and out of the horse's way and let him balance and carry himself. It was GOOD bad riding! And it got the job done!
-I rode in what could have been a dangerous situation on a different horse, but trusted my horse and he came through for me!
-I got a positive adrenaline rush instead of a panicky adrenaline rush!
-I almost fell off and was actually okay, in the moment, with it happening if it needed to
-Riding such a different type and feel or horse, who was so sensitive, made it seem relatively easy to go back and ride a horse I KNOW and who can take leg and voice aids without TEARING off at a crazy run-walk!
-I went back feeling excited and a LOT more confident!

I hope I get to ride another Paso again some day! Or even the same one!