My first ride alone on Mag on our home trails

Mag is standing in his stall sleeping – it's 2 PM. We just got back from a couple hours of walking, riding, and grazing.

As I led him away from home down the familiar trail, he was completely at ease as if he'd never been away from here. I was hit with the realization that I'd never ridden my horse alone in my neighborhood (and only twice in Wuppertal on trail). I was excited. I knew I didn't have to ride but I wanted to. I had a lot of trust, and was excited to see if it was placed correctly.

We walked for 30 minutes, found a mounting block, and I got on. Turning for home, I started singing. I couldn't think of any song at that moment so I made one up, about ambulance rescue and knowing the German numbers for 911. I cracked myself up because that is not what you're supposed to sing about if you want to relax, but I went for it.

We rode up that technical switchback that gave Mara nightmares and the only time he flinched during our ride was when we flushed a hawk from a branch overhead. By this time I was just talking to him about whatever occurred to me, and I realized my legs were totally relaxed for once. Usually I clench my toes or thrust my heels down, sometimes both. Today my legs felt like they were floating above the horse. Body-checking, I felt that my shoulders and arms were relaxed but my hips were not. Oh well. I kept chatting.

I had my long lead in my hand in case we parted ways, so it would drag and he could be caught more easily. I also had a cell phone in my pocket, which I recall being important on solo rides in the woods!

When we arrived at the shepherd's house of doom, I jumped off and praised Mag, removing his bit and loosening the saddle and pointing to some grass for him to eat. I'm so happy the shepherd does not live there anymore. No dogs on chains running around barking at us. I do miss the ponies and chickens though.

I'd only ridden 20 minutes, but it was fine.

I had to laugh, in the 50 minutes that we were in the woods, on a warm sunny Monday at noon, we saw ZERO trail users. Where are all the people!? Lol It was actually nice, having the forest to ourselves. Aha, here's a possible reason: Wuppertal has 350,000 inhabitants. My city has 35,000. OK then, that explains it.

Then I took Mag to where he could see horses, on the busy street (with a speed limit of 100) and let him graze another hour. Trucks and cars and bicycles whizzed by Mag about 6 feet from him and he didn't lift his head. A lady was hanging laundry in her yard and Mag seemed fine with that too.

Finally home, I wanted him to finish his beet pulp but apparently he was full from grass and tired so he went to bed. I just looked out the window and he's still dozing there, and the donkey's eating hay next to him.

***

The lady with the fancy sand arena nearby emailed me in response to my asking if we can go out riding together sometime with her Arabian horse Dahkin. She wrote, “First we need to ride together in my arena so the horses can get to know each other.” OK, I'll do it, I said. After being her “show groom” last Summer, I know a little bit about how persnickety she is, and how well, careful, to put it nicely. I don't think she's ever ridden her horse out of an arena. I probably should ask that question! But I am not worried. I have a feeling Mag will be the role model for her gelding. In fact, I'm so proud of Mag at the moment, I bet Mag will also be the role model for Bintu! Well, maybe not....

***

Mag is taking great, great pleasure in walking from the paddock/barn area through the wooded path to the pasture, even though there's only a nearly dry lot for him to enjoy at this point (the one grazing strip that has very little grass, but is 100 meters by 5 meters long).

He herds the donkey back and forth, but then will go on his own, tail up, ears pricked,  gleaming with happiness, as he goes back to pasture. Or back to the barn. He has CONTROL of his whereabouts after 4 months of no control at all. It's fun to watch him enjoy his control. No worries about the donkey, she submits but only a little, she also does what she wants.

No more ziplock bags full of horse food! My husband had wondered where most of our American ziplocks had disappeared to! I washed them all out carefully. I have never bought a ziplock bag (nor a tampon) in Germany, these are all precious to us. (But I do not reuse my tampons.)



Like I said, he was sleepy on arrival this afternoon. I immediately remembered that he always used to sleep at midday at home. But in Wuppertal - never.







Resting his heavy head on the gate.



He had 5 new cuts on his face last week. Today he has 7. I have no idea why he still does not know where his face is in relation to planet Earth. *lol* Just like Baasha. My husband even called him Baasha yesterday, we have no idea why we keep doing this, perhaps cuz he's newly arrived home at Finally Farm and we are flashing back to 2009.