First Field Trip

This weekend was unseasonably warm and beautiful, with highs in the 70s, sunshine, and a slight breeze.  Friday I tore through the to do list, crossing off 11 items, and still squeezing in a short ride as the sun was setting.  Saturday we raced the car, and Sunday, I met up with my friend M and her reliable old mare at Masterson.  For my non-Lexington horse friends, Masterson Station Park is by far the most awesome public park with horse facilities.  It has some standard public park stuff: soccer fields, a dog park, picnic areas, an in-line hockey area, and space for the annual Bluegrass Fair carnival.  It is also a comprehensive horse playground with 3 outdoor arenas (2 are "saddlebred style" with a sand track and one has full all weather footing and jumps), a 3 level field hunter course with natural obstacles, acres of cross country jumps ranging from beginner novice through prelim, 2 sand dressage arenas with warm up areas, and a couple barns and indoor arena used by the park district.  And everything but the indoor is free and open to the public any time that they're not holding a special event or competition.  It is one of those neat places that I always intend to utilize, yet never seem to get around to as often as I should. 

On Sunday, though, I loaded Larry onto the trailer, grabbed my tack, and met M at the park for my first field trip with Lar.  We weren't the only ones enjoying the bright day with our horses; there were a number of folks riding in the hunter ring and around the grounds.  M and I took a nice leisurely ride for over an hour, wandering around the grounds, into and around some of the arenas, and we did the slowest, lowest-level walk only cross country course ever!  Lar wasn't sure about the jumps and spent quite a bit of time frozen in place and staring at stuff (I'd much rather have a horse who "spooks" by staring and refusing to move than one who bolts and asks questions later!!!).  We had to investigate every jump.  Once the other horse walked by them, he was content to sniff (and chew) them.  He was a little jumpy with all the new things, but very well behaved all together.  If I asked him to drop his head, he would for a moment, before getting distracted by the other sights and sounds (joggers, a truck full of porta-potties, dogs, a cat fight that broke out between an orange tabby and a black cat, a mylar balloon tumbleweed, other horses and riders, etc).  It took us a few tries, but we made it through the creek crossing thanks to our fearless leader.  We also walked up and down the beginner novice part of the bank jump complex, walked over some small logs, and trotted around the dressage arenas and one of the outdoor rings.  All in all, I was very pleased with him and think he's well on his way to being a solid, level-headed horse.  Thanks again, Rob, for my good-minded, sound, and gorgeous new horse!  (With his long mane and forelock blowing around, he looks very exotic to me compared to the traditional short hunter manes I'm accustomed to.)  We'll go back someday when we're farther along so we can canter and jump!