Exploring with Galim

Today I took the opportunity to ride Galim alone again, and it was so nice. He didn't have any of the tension that he had last week, and when his friends called to him from the pasture, he kept his mouth shut.

He dropped his head every time I asked, and was a perfectly compliant, willing trail horse for me today. I told him so, and I hope he understands.

I try to make it fun for him; we go visiting neighborhood horses and I let him say hello. Or, I let him eat as I say hello, hehehe. Today we met new friends, as all the pastures are full of horses enjoying their precious summer months on grass. We found the biggest horse I've ever seen, and I told him it would be very nice if he did not break the fence down, he was so intimidating. Then there was a splotchy blazed chestnut, with such a big head I don't know how he can hold it up, and he kept cantering around playfully asking us to join him. Then there was the "spanish beauty" some sort of faded black Andalusian or Peruvian Paso, I'm not sure, but he was enchantingly beautiful, with an Arab's ears, a spanish face, and thick trees for legs that were feathered. His tail was the best I've seen. It was just a bit below his hocks, like I like, and thick and wavy, black and red. He kept waving it around, showing off. "Yes, you have prettier hair than I do!" I told him.

Three hours of walking, exploring, with me on foot half the time, I let Galim play "Poop on Poop" cuz he used to be a stallion and I think he remembers that ritual.

I tried to find nice soft trails for Baasha, but I think we're gonna rely on the Easyboot Epics. There is quite a bit of rock, and it's always hilly here. Not steep like the PNW, but nothing is flat, this area is rolling hills. I hate that there is so much pavement. In Europe, horses are just used to it. I'm not, Baasha's not. He's gonna have to walk on paved roads (they connect the trails) a good deal of the time. This is another reason I spend so much time on foot leading Galim. I just can't stand riding on pavement. I'm American.

I really have to get my husband out to go geocaching with me and Galim, so that I can finally get a photo of me riding Galim. Galim looks super cute in his endurance outfit, and my leg position looks great in that saddle that doesn't give me the option of holding my legs incorrectly, *lol*

I'm so happy I have Galim to ride at this time. I even think I may pony Baasha off of him just so Galim can show Baasha there's nothing to worry about here.