By Patty Wilber
Taffy is a 4 year old 1/2 Paso Fino owned by Carolyn and Mike. Paso Finos are gaited (have a 4 beat way of going in between a walk an a trot.) Taffy wasn’t born with that program fully installed, but she feels like she could develop a gait.
Loaded and ready to go.
I took her to the Pecos Thursday (this was her first big trip) and I am writing this in the truck (I am not driving) on the way back. Since it is pretty late, I am going to try to make it short and sweet because first thing tomorrow I am off to move cows at the Red Cliff Ranch (Taffy gets to rest–Lacey gets that job.)
My wonderful companions were Linda on Doc and MaryAnn on Tulip.
Linda on Doc
MaryAnn and Tulip.
We rode from Jack’s Creek to Pecos Falls (and back), and that is not a short day (10 hrs, 25ish miles).
But it was a much nicer day than my last trip three weeks ago.
Then:
That was WET snow.
Now:
No snow! Horse changed colors! No pony horse! No salt to haul!
Taffy got to cross water for the first time and go over or around 12 down logs on trail 24. She failed the Carson test, though. Whereas he practically bounds into water like a guppy, she acted like a normal horse and had to take a minute to figure it all out, at each of the many water and mud crossings on the “in” trip.
Being thirsty does increase one’s incentive to get in, though.
Motivation by Thirst.
Logs required a bit of thought as well, but she got over all of them (because when she said she could not, I said, “Guess again.” ). Plus Tulip and Doc would be receding from view…also incentivizing!
Once we headed back, the Call of the Trailer (or the Home Pace) pulled her right through or over almost everything.
The falls were lovely and I would have picture of them from MaryAnn’s camera, but the truck (since I was writing as we drove home) was not wired with the technological support required.
We saw lots of wild flowers, and that is all I can manage tonight.
Wild Iris!
Catch you next week!
