First trail ride in Wuppertal with Mag

Finally! Nina arrived as I warmed Mag up in the arena and told me to take my time.

I was letting him jog around loose and suddenly he decided to let himself into the audience section right where all the toys and obstacles were stored. He'd found a hole in the lunge-line/jumping standards barrier and just walked right through it! I was appalled - there were dangerous things there, a large standing mirror, a wooden pallet that had recently served as a base for a round bale, he somehow walked over the pallet without falling into the holes. He weaved between the two benches and the plastic bag and hoola hoops and plastic poles and and and, he did it all methodically like he'd been planning it for weeks. A jumping standard fell down and the rake, but somehow nothing was destroyed, and he never flinched. It was his "plans within plans" to escape the triviality of free lunging. Very funny Mag.

I got him out of there and closed the hole. Geez that was scary. Oh, and those obstacles, if anyone moves them, will become monsters in Mag's opinion while he's working. Later I cleaned everything up - folding blankets, dusting off the benches, winding up the three lunge lines I found and hanging them up, making everything tidy and hopefully easier on Willy when he has to bring a tractor in to get round bales and must move everything.

Nina tacked up lightning speed and I was ready so we were off. Instead of mounting at the barn I opted to use a stump as soon as we were off asphalt. And Mag was great. Nina's horse is the lead mare, but Mag and the mare had shared the arena enough to know her by now, and I was right  - he respected her and kept about 2 meters distance from her at all times, without me having to ask. How nice!

As expected, Mag had an issue with the hills. I can't call them mountains, cuz to me a mountain starts at 2K feet, but these are big hills and I know Mag's never been ridden on hills, and I'm ashamed to say I've been lazy about where I walk him, avoiding the big hills whenever possible.

As soon as we started descending, Mag felt the saddle come forward a little and he slammed on the brakes. I nudged him with my legs, "You can go on." He took another step, felt the odd weight on his back and stopped again, "I cannot. Clearly this is impossible!" I indicated to the Dowager Countess in front of him, cruising along down the hill and he was slowly convinced that it might be possible to descend a hill with a human on his back.

When I told my husband this part of the story he said, "Did you think of trying a crupper on him to relieve the pressure on his shoulders?" I was proud of him for thinking of that and said, "Mara desperately needed a crupper because she was a bratwurst with no shoulders or withers. Mag has those things so should not depend upon one, even though I'd love to get him wearing one eventually because I consider them standard tack for hill riding." I'm just not near introducing a crupper yet, when a simple rump rug causes him so much anxiety.

Poor Mag learned how to carry weight down a "mountain" today.  We descended switchback after switchback for 15 minutes. After a while he was OK with it.

At the bottom of the hill I saw something I never could have expected, and hope to never see again.

There is this old man in town who rides his grey Arabian full blast through the woods and has caused several accidents with Gabi's boarders and students, because he'll just blast by you at a run. I've seen him twice in the woods and both times been warned about him. Gabi went on and on about how dangerous the guy is - he even lets his horse loose at the dam, which is a popular public attraction so there are always lots of people, but he has no worries, his horse just runs around like a dog would.

I know in America people will let their horses loose in the woods for a break, but not in urban areas with so many people around.

Anyway....

At the bottom of the hill I saw a grey-bearded man walking along and two grey Arabians.

COMPLETELY LOOSE. No halters, nothing, just freaking....loose.

I froze and Mag froze and Nina continued, not noticing, but called over to the man, "Hey, this is this horse's first outing and we'd appreciate it if..." I'm not really sure what she said to him but she was very, very polite for a situation that normal Germans would have come unglued about.

I don't think I was breathing. Freaking loose Arabian horses on trail with us.

And guess what the guy said. Can you guess? Hint: What EVERY SINGLE LOOSE DOG WALKER says when their dog is running around out of control.

"Don't worry, they won't do anything."

AGH! How on earth can you say that about obviously one very young Arabian?  And what would MY HORSE do, did he think of that? And what about the Dowager Countess? *snicker*

How is this possible? Is this alternate-universe Germany? I know I'm a rule breaker (last post) but this, this is dangerous behavior.

Then somehow we got past him and it was no problem. I said to Nina, "I must admit, it's challenging for me to be calm right now, so let's keep talking." And talk we did: ) She's a high school teacher like my man so we have a bit in common.

When it was time to go back up the "mountain" Mag discovered weight on his back in an entirely new way, called "difficult." *lol* He was huffing and puffing and trying to keep up with the Peruvian mare.

Poor Mag, someday we'll even trot up a hill! Actually I did have him jog a few times to catch up and even try to ride alongside the mare, but the mare kind of wanted him behind, so we deferred to her.

The mare alerted on something and it was a group of deer darting back and forth zigzaggy in the woods. Mag did not even notice them. I believe he was in the circle of protection provided by the Leitstute and he did not need to be so alert. Or maybe he's just hard of hearing.

I have to admit, it was fun going up that hill with the Leitstute and Nina protecting us from danger.

Mag's head eventually started to come down a micron, as if exhausted.

As soon as hooves hit pavement again I jumped off and felt very very proud. My horse made no false move today, even though I about melted down at one point.

I thanked Nina and a group of school kids listened to Nina telling Gabi about our encounter with "that guy." Mag's face was so sweaty he got the face massage of his life, with an audience. When I was done I walked over to Gabi, overwhelmed, "What would you have done!?" She said, "There is nothing to be done about that man. He's caused so many accidents but you can't do anything." I said, "Still, I wish you had been there to yell at him." Gabi can do many things, but yelling is her best skill.

Then Gabi said she'd take me out riding Thursday morning. It's a date. Although I normally work that morning, I will do anything possible to make it out with Gabi, where I know if anything happens, she'll have her yelling voice there to protect us.

Although it was early in the day, I was ready to be done, after that excitement. But then Claudia showed up after being sick with the flu all week and I said, "Can we please let Mag and Argo play together?" She said she had a little time.

Mag chewed holes in his hide again, all over, it was so cute. He was biting him so hard the big warmblood would drop his back with each bite, ow, ow, ow. But he never defended himself, he just enjoyed it. Mag even, for the first time, reared up twice, mini rears, to get the big guy more involved. Argo trotted around and Mag bit at his forelegs. Their play is getting more intricate. How cool.

Back at the barn it was so crowded I almost couldn't stand it - ponies everywhere and kiddies to watch out for, it would just kill me if I startled a horse and caused a kid to get hurt. I move very slowly and rhythmically around them. The tiny blond girl with my favorite Welsh pony Jolly kept putting his grain-reward bucket up to his face, and he kept turning away. I love that pony, WTH. The little girl's mother was there and tried to put the bucket up to his gorgeous little bay face and the pony wanted nothing to do with it. I walked over to Gabi and said, "Jolly doesn't want his grain reward. Is that just him, or?" She admitted she'd put some anti-coughing herbs in his feed. Whew. 20 minutes later that little girl and her mother were still trying to coax Jolly to eat his bucket. How sweet. I want that pony for my own.

Then for the very first time I saw my horse being led by someone other than me, at this place, it was Willy bringing Mag in for the night. What a good boy; he stayed right behind him on a loose lead. I stood there grinning. Then I saw the stall door swing shut on Mag's hip before he was in, but he did not mind or endanger Willy. Good boy. Gates hitting horses often cause accidents, but I think Mag is OK with it.

Then Mag went a little nuts waiting for the rest of the herd to arrive. He skittered around his stall, neighing loudly from time to time.

Tanja arrived as I was bent over washing a bucket and she pinched me on the side. I thought, "It must be Tanja cuz no one else would touch me like that." I said, "Tanja, does my horse act like this every night?" "Yes." Ok then. Obviously it's preferable to bring Mag in first and let him flip out in his stall than to leave him out last and let him flip out in his electric fence paddock!

Then this lady was cleaning out her Haflinger's hooves, and I'd only seen her once before, cuz I'm never there in the evening. She shouted for him to hold still and I grabbed his halter to help her. She asked me how it's going. I said, "I had my first outing today and my horse had no idea how to carry a rider down a hill." She stood up and looked at me and said, "Well, you're not very heavy!"

It took me more than a few moments to digest what she had just said. Someone just told me *I* am not very heavy?! A GERMAN person!?

Later I found her and said, "You know, recently I was too heavy to even take test rides on for-sale horses, cuz I was over 80 kg. I used to lie and say my husband was looking for a horse." She said, "That's ridiculous! Ludger Beerbaum is more than 80 and he's famous!" I said I didn't know who that was but the name Beerbaum rings a bell, for show jumping. Anyway, that is the first time since I started my low-carb way of eating that anyone has really noticed, and the first time I did not feel like a fatty the last 5 years (since turning 40 and hypothyroidism). I will never be a thin person, but I am happy with how I look today. (I lost 21 pounds in the last 14 months on Atkins. I am one of those people who can actually be happy on that diet, cuz I like meat more than sugar. And cheese more than bread. This diet has nothing to offer people who love starch.)

Then even more people showed up and I wanted to get out of there but it was parent teacher night and when I finally reached my husband by cell phone, he said I had to wait yet another hour. Then another teacher let him off the hook for the last PTA meeting, and I zoomed down the hill to pick him up.

And told him this entire story.

With this ending: "Mag is such a good horse. Imagine what he'll be when I can actually match his calm level." J agreed with me totally.

I just sent Nina a thank you email and she returned, "You are so sweet, it was no problem, we can do it again."

I sincerely hope so. The Leitstute (alpha mare) is the perfect guide.

But I'm totally curious how Claudia and Argo will handle taking us out, and especially Gabi herself, with her yelling.






I apologize again for no new photos, and honestly this is about as far back I can go with Mag - this is a photo S took of him while she checked him out for me, September 2015 (I think). What the heck, is this my horse? His mane is brown and his 14 on his side is really obvious. But that not-gonna-worry expression was there all along. Mag was for sale a very, very long time. Way longer than the other Polish Arabian state stud imports from his stud into Germany. He languished there, I might say. Probably cuz of his numerous scars? Probably the pink nose. Yah, the nose.

I'm enjoying every day getting to know him better, which is odd, because he's not here. But having a work schedule together deepens things. A year at home, I know him. 3 months intensive training, I know him++. Number 3007 from stud farm 14 is not exactly what I wanted, but he's astonishingly laid back for his age/breed.

Gotta go to Poland and meet his parents!

A dream.

But for now, I tell him how wonderful he is and I hope he understands it. My husband said, "Every day, you expect perfection from him!" and I said, "But he's really close...."