Thursday, August 15, 2019

A good ride with two courteous encounters

Today for some reason I felt relaxed on Mag, I could feel it down to my unclenched toes. I was able to sit there and enjoy without crazy thoughts.

We parted ways with Ani who wanted a longer ride (on pavement) and I rode Mag alone up the switchback and at the top started working on collection and leg yields, trying to get more steps than just a couple. I've decided to make it a habit at that location because it's not so hilly.

Suddenly there was a jogger coming toward us and Mag couldn't handle it. I let him stand and look, and then asked him to continue, but he couldn't. The jogger saw the interaction and stopped running. She slowly approached and said, "He doesn't like joggers huh?" I said, "He wants to know what is chasing you and if he should escape it too." : ) She started rubbing his completely sweat free head (my hair was soaked when I took off my helmet simply from humidity). Mag enjoyed very much a head rub from a stranger! I kept one rein short so he wouldn't bop her in the face. I could tell she was a horse person and she said she has a Haflinger with a high percentage of Arabian blood.

I've always wondered about this, when people differentiate Haflingers by type, the Arab type and the draft type. Are they two breeds? Are the Arab types not purebred?

Anyway I appreciated her giving Mag a good experience with "people who run from danger." And we continued.

On our street directly in front of our pasture a garbage truck approached. It saw us and came to a full stop to let me position Mag away from it. Then I nodded at the driver and he crept ever so slowly by us. Mag didn't like it one bit but I said THANK YOU to them. How nice. UPS drivers are not so nice.

Below is a sign in our neighborhood, in case you get too comfortable riding a horse:

     

6 comments:

AareneX said...

Eeek, that sign!

Sounds like a great ride, though.

Kitty Bo said...

I’m so glad you had the courage to go on your own and you found you could deal with Mag’s concerns and you both survive. 🙂

Nat D said...

WHat does the sign mean?

lytha said...

Aarena, I know. I'd seen nothing like it in America.

KB, Thanks, even better than survival is when you forget to worry about it!

ND, It says be careful. It's not specific about how we should be careful, but obviously contains a threat of danger!

HHmplace said...

That sign might be an eyeopener to drivers! :-) Sounds like a successful ride!

TeresaA said...

I love how your confidence in each other is growing