First off, my mantra for the weekend was “Thank you Sarah”, as this trip wouldn’t have been possible without her along. She was also totally game for hopping on a horse she’d never met before for a five mile trail ride, just so I wouldn’t have to ride out alone in a brand new spot. So three cheers for Sarah!

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This trip was tossed together last minute, as another friend needed judges for an Equine Trail Sports event, and I’m thrilled to report I loved it! This format is much lower key and less intimidating than the Mountain Trail I tried with Flash. You don’t have to memorize the course, you pick and choose which order, and you can ask the judge as many questions before you pass an obstacle’s start cone as you need. All the horses and riders were so thankful and thoughtful, just an awesome group of folks to work and hang with all weekend.

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Saturday night Sarah hopped on Flash, the event organizer’s 23 year old Arab, and off we went into the forest. Shar had marked a trail for the event with ribbons, which we both managed to loose but we got home safely before dark somehow. Tarma only had one weird moment when she took a sharp right turn off trail and marched away from Flash a good 100 yards, stopped, and peed and peed and peed. Couldn’t just pee on the side of the trail I guess!

Sunday I had a two hour lunch break between events, so I tossed tack on Tarma and we headed out solo for my absolute high point of the weekend, trotting out on a loose rein for our third solo ride. Of course when we got back to the ranch, a huge white mule named Reba was upset her friend had left her and was carrying on, and Tarma grew three sizes and said “WTF????” so I called it a day.

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Benny charmed everyone and got absolutely filthy and grew another few pounds and inches and overall was just thrilled with his first taste of his real job of camp and trail dog. Of course having the Corgis along was super helpful! Kade found a friend and disappeared except to eat and snuggle at bedtime. Overall a successful weekend that leaves me with one question…”When’s the next event?”