It is too Windy to Ride ~ so they say

The winds were gusting about 32 mph.

But the training must go on, right?

Siera has experience, she needs more.

So today I decided to continue with yesterday's work.
She had absolutely NO reaction to being saddled.

This was a good thing that made me smile.
It also meant that we could go ahead and do a brush busting ride through the creek bottoms.

Solo.

That means me...and her.
Alone in 500 acres of woods, doing deer trails and brush busting.
Yup, that is my ugly mug with my orange vest, extremely cool helmet and a hanky to mop up blood or make a tourniquet.
Kidding!

We would not go solo if she wasn't ready.
And believe me, Siera is willing and ready.


We got down in the valley and into the deep woods. We jumped up deer three times.
Siera?
No reaction other than to stop and watch them run through the woods.

The wind blew on the top of the ridge, sometimes roaring. Leaves rained down upon us.

What was Siera's main concern?

Nothing really. She was concentrating on what I was asking of her. Which trail to follow...or to perhaps resist going down.
She is of course not in any way like Badger.
But she does gets 'nerved' up when away from home.

In short, she sweats around the head and neck.
[Of course it was also 80 degrees!]
She did all of her creek crossings without much pause.

She stopped, looked, and at my urging, went forward as if she'd never had any fear of crossing little creeks.

She's fast. She walks fast and is full of energy.

So we did practice standing still 3 times.
The first time for 1 minute.
Second ~ 2 minutes.
...well you get the idea.

It was a delightful ride. A wonderful ride.

We'll be going again soon.

[Siera...one ear listening to me and one ear cocked forward]

Until next time...