I wasn’t going to even bother trying to post about this,
because I got no pictures, and what’s a post without pictures?! But then I
realized that apparently other people were taking professional pictures, and so
that changed my mind a bit!!!
A few weekends ago, our barn went to an event called the
Mystery Map Ride. It takes place annually in October at one of our local state
parks, Little Manatee River State Park. (One of my favorite places to trail
ride!) Several volunteers set up obstacles, the scarier the better, for horse
and rider to complete along the trail. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like we
really got any photos of the obstacles, but some candid’s while we were on the
move got captured, so that counts for something!! Maxwell has been on a handful
of trail rides since he came off the track. We did more of that than anything
else for the first two months that he was home. He had a hiatus from trails
over the summer, partly because we are more focused on ring work, but also
because it’s just too much to trailer him all over the place and to then put
him through a hot ride in the dead of the summer. He went on one ride the
weekend before this event, and he was perfect, of course.
I was a bit apprehensive about how he might react to all the
other horses and riders being in costumes. This was, of course, his first ‘event’ with a
bunch of other horses, since he came off the race track! I could only expect
him to react how he might at the race track—with passion and excitement! So
this year we opted to NOT dress up, and to use this as a good experience and
training event. I was pleasantly surprised that he didn’t bat an eye at any of
the crazy costumes, and really didn’t have anything to say about any of the
ridiculous obstacles either. There were some we skipped, but we walked right
next to each one that we did skip, without freaking out. I found out that
Maxwell prefers to be a leader. In the back of the pack he was pacing and
jittery. Grinding his teeth and holding his head up tense as could be. As soon
as we migrated to the front of the pack, he settled right in, quiet, happy, and
BRAVE! My little green OTTB wanted to be the leader of the pack. The greenest
horse in the group, but the leader, and a good one, if I do say so myself!
Anyways, it was a great training experience for Max, and
enlightened me on his ability to take in sights and activities and not
overreact to them. I should have known. He’s spent most of his life on the
track where things are always loud and there’s plenty of commotion, and
probably a couple of weird sights to see at times. Baby Maxwell…always proving
to be quite a perfect horse
IM the one who looks out of place not being dressed up. I'd be lying if I said this wouldn't look super badass with everyone ELSE wearing sunglasses too. Hehehe watch out, Olympia Equestrian coming through!
Max has start box jitters. I told him it's okay, most horses who actually know what a start box means have a little get up and go in them...hehehe
Waiting in line to go over the first obstacle, some cavaletti
It's funny I'm looking right at the camera but had no idea my picture was being taken. I was simply giving my muffin a pat on the neck for being such a big brave Thoroughbred
I was laughing at something--I think Kristina threw the ball (which should have gone in that snowman behind us) and nearly nailed us. Max was doing a great job modeling, though!
Olympia Equestrian on the move!
OH! In December the Hunter Pace comes to Myakka! Closer to home. Last year I took Bella on one up in Wesley Chapel--this year Max will go on his first pace closer to home! I can't wait! Time to condition!!!