My last ride on Mara

After I got the downpayment I was pretty confident she was actually sold. The contract was signed, afterall.

I did live in suspense for an 8 day period though, when there was a communication error and I thought she'd call me, and she thought the same. Oops. They said they had arranged transport for Wednesday the 2nd.

Although she said I can come ride her anytime, I have no desire to do that. I'll be happy to drive by and see her in a field, or visit her stall in Winter.

I decided to try to have fun riding her one last time on Tuesday.

In fact, I decided to test her balking behavior by taking her to her most dreaded hill, a steep, muddy switchback going down to the watershed. I'd only ridden her down it once before, because she balks so much.

But the last year I've gotten a handle on her balking and I wanted to see if she's fixed in that regard.

As soon as I put her on that hill she slowed to a stop and got ready to wait me out. She hadn't been gnashing her bit in stress, but she was snorting with every breath, and looking at every tree stump.

NOT GOING DOWN THE HILL, she said. I lightly tapped her with my heels....and it worked, she changed her mind. Yes! That was the biggest test, and she passed it - and I'll call her balking behavior solved because she gives it up when I politely insist.

I don't know exactly what changed in her mind, to decide obeying is nicer than standing for an hour, but finally I can feel good about this. Probably it was just cumulative instances of my asking but not escalating, it became easier to just comply. I'm pretty sure it's not that she's more comfortable in the woods.

She walked down the hill very slowly, sliding in the mud and zigzagging back and forth, trying to not slip. I let her do whatever she wanted, go as slow as she needed, as long as she stayed on the trail for the most part and proceeded. It was a very very long hill that day.

At the bottom I put her nose into a little tree and said one last time, "Eat the tree!" but she was looking around for enemies. Finally I got her to take one little nibble, but she wasn't happy about it.

As I'd promised her, we turned around and headed right back up the switchback for home. And then she started really looking for danger. Perhaps navigating was so difficult on the way down, she couldn't think as much about it, but on the way up, every tree was suspicious.

I asked her to stop at one point and just stand, and we did until she sighed. Good girl, go on then.

Although she was very tense, I asked for a trot for one last time. Such a lovely easy trot she has in the woods, I can just sit down, no need to post.

At the top of the hill, walking again, I asked for lateral movements and that she drop her head, just to remind her she can do these things. She did them nicely, and I got off.

I said I'd try to have fun, and I did try - as much fun as I could possibly have on a horse who is never relaxed even on our closest to home trails.

We were both soaking wet, there was a steady soaking rain the entire time.

I took her to the fallen apple spot and let her eat apples for a while, and enjoyed my last moments there with her, delighted I'd never have to do it again.

That's it! I took all my tack into the house and washed it and I'll put it in storage.

It's a strange feeling but mostly good.