It felt like I was a normal person

It turns out Rudi is a great horse to accompany Mag and me. She glares and keeps him at least 2 meters away from her at all times (and I think Mag gets it when I half halt at the moment Rudi pins her ears at us). She also has trouble navigating technical trails even in hoofboots, and her slow cautious pace is exactly what Mag needs.

Mag's come a long way in learning how to balance going down hills (remember the time we both fell down on our butts?). But Rudi forces him to go even slower and place each hoof even more precisely.

Today for the first time in memory, I rode Mag *down* the switchback. Rudi led him expertly and Mag complied without fussing/snacking and only slipped a few times on that muddy no-horses-allowed trail.

My lost confidence started to show itself again when we hit the bottom and started up the next hill.

It was our normal one-hour loop and Mag led most of the way. Someone had set up cavaletti on the trail from stacked wood holding up large tree trunks. Some were high enough that I worried Mag might get tangled up and crash. Most of them, though, he just plowed through, even knocking some down from their stands  (bad trail manners!). Ani, behind me, kept snickering as Mag would carelessly hit them, and then started cheering for him if he ever made it over clear *giggle*. I've done a lot of work with ground poles with Mag (our Winter in Wuppertal - 5 days a week for 4 months) to no avail. He just doesn't give a rip about running into them with his  hooves.

At our split-up place we said goodbye and like last time, I stayed on Mag's back. He was just as confused this time. "But we're splitting up - you normally jump off when we split up!" I said, "Just go home Mag, she's going home too. We're all going home."

He kept pausing and asking me if I'm sure and finally committed to carrying me all the way home. Well, all the way to the trail head, which means I rode Mag the entire loop! I'm not sure I've ever done that before.

We ran into a loose dog (no way, that never happens) but it was on a mission and ignored us. Then we ran into a neighbor lady and her enormous dog Ben, and she confirmed that other dog was not hers. Mag waited in complete stillness the entire time the dogs approached and passed, because I didn't know what would happen and I didn't want to come between the lady and the strange dog (who I thought was hers).

We continued on and I was chatting with Mag, "Let me tell you a story about a very strange orange mare named Mara......

...and this is the spot where she stood still - almost home! - and refused to budge for ONE FULL HOUR, her fears overwhelming her." Mag strode confidently forward all the way to the dreaded shepherd's house where our trail ride ended.

He got a handful of cookies and lots of praise.

Riding alone on a horse who enjoys being out there, who looks forward to what is around the next bend, is an old memory of mine. I feel normal: )