| For a good long while,
Patrick has wanted to ride Zini without a chaperone.
Knowing Zini's tendency to wickedness, I was a
little leery of this, but late this summer decided that they were probably
ready. Zini had had several long excursions where she discovered the
meaning of "work" and her attitude had been adjusted a little
because of that, and Patrick was really getting a handle on how her head
works. So in the middle of September, we went out to Cool and I rode with
them on my mtn bike - the idea being that I could help if anything went
"horribly wrong", yet Zini wouldn't have another pone to rely on
as her safety net. |
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Look out! She's getting
ready to make a break for it!
Predictably the whole outing turned out to be a
non-event. Zini is neither stupid nor spooky (she just likes to play it on
TV) and she was quite content to be out there on her own. |
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Going along one of my
favorite trails from Cool. |
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Waiting for me to catch up
(puff, pant) |
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I ponied Zini from Provo
along this section a month or so earlier. Zini did really well and I was
very pleased with her. Provo did less well and discovered he could kick
her, so the experiment was not entirely successful. |
Zini having a bad hair day |
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At this point, they trotted
off and left me... so much for enjoying my company. |
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Some of the trails at Cool
are just gorgeous. |
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Exhausted, she is, after her
5 mile jaunt. |
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The continuing lesson that
"just because you are back at the trailer and your saddle is off,
doesn't mean that you're necessarily done for the day".
Trotting out practice. |
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Of course, a week or two
after this ride, Provo and Zini got in a squabble out on the trail and she
tried to kick him and he retaliated - except she missed and he didn't.
Swollen hock and mucho lameness resulted, and that was the end of
Patrick's riding for this year (and our plans to go to Death Valley for a
four day ride over Christmas/New Year).
Six weeks later, we had her x-rayed, just to be on
the safe side, and she showed up clean, so she's probably just got sore
tendons. A few months rest won't do her any harm and Patrick and her can
start up again in the Spring. |
