Autumn Trail Ride

Yesterday there was a local cow sorting/working cow event going on. Unfortunetly, I was unable to make it and it put a bit of a damper on my mood. But I had agreed to go on a trail ride with my friend Heather and Milo's girlfriend Missy. We saddled up and headed out.

It was a good time. We talked about things and just let our horses relax at a walk. We headed down a road that I had thought that I recognized, and after a ways realized I didnt, so as we turned around to head back I looked to Heather and asked "You wanna lope up this?" she eagerly answered "Yeah!"

Usually Milo is a little coiled up when we lope on the trail. Always thinking about what is around the corner, if the scary stump is going to jump out and eat him, and just generally a little hesitant. But when I asked him to pick up the lope up that hill, he bounded right into and picked up an easy relaxed lope. It felt incredible! About halfway up, I squeazed and asked for a little more,  and he gave me more and held that new speed evenly and relaxed too. 

At that moment, loping into the setting sun, all of my distractions, stresses, dissapointments and everything else from the day just melted off of me. It was just Milo and I enjoying a beautiful evening together.

When we made it to the top, we were both out of breath. We eased down to a walk and joined with Heather and Missy again in conversation on a side trail.

When I put Milo away later that evening, I suddenly realized that I was as satisfied from a ride as I ever could be. Dont get me wrong, we love working the cows and I have had some really nice rides from him recently, but it was one of those moments where you just know this is why I ride.