A three hour tour

This past weekend was super busy, going to a horse expo and then hauling out to go trail riding kept me going nonstop.  Saturday was the horse expo and it was a pretty good expo.  Fairly minor in comparison to the Equine Affair or Congress but much, much better than a horse expo I went to last month.  There were about 120 vendors, all pretty small companies, and I got some info and a lot of freebies.  I also entered a ton of drawings, we will see if I win anything (though I never do). 

Sunday was more interesting as I hauled over and picked up RB3's horse and met a bunch of people she knew over at a state equestrian center.  Originally there were supposed to be 4 of us going so I brought my camp stove and a pack of hot dogs for a late lunch and everyone else was bringing something else.  That morning some people RB3 knows told the other friend they would join us at the equestrian center and thus the 4 of us suddenly became 9 of us.  I felt bad (at first, more on that) because I had brought enough for just us but RB3 told me not to worry as they were bringing stuff too. 

We hauled over without anything notable happening and since the TWH is still lame I brought the App.  The App can be a rock star or an insane freak and I never know what I am going to get until I throw a leg over him.  The 4 of us got there first (actually, just on time) were ready to head out when the second truck/trailer of people showed up.  We decided to wait on them to tack up and we would go warm up in an arena.  They were almost done tacking up when the third truck/trailer showed up, 30 mins after our planned start time.  The second set of people insisted we wait for the third set of people and thus it was almost an hour after our planned start time when we finally headed out.  The youngest of the group, a mid-teen, was not comfortable on their horse and wanted everyone to walk so we all did.  Mostly. 

The people from the second set of people kept running ahead of us and making several of the horses antsy.  The App had been pretty quiet in the arena but once the other 8 horses arrived he decided he was a firecracker on a pogo stick.  Grrrr.  I had a pretty hard time keeping him at even a jig and at one point RB3's new horse kicked him square in the chest for getting "up in his bizniz".  What I found amusing was the App not only didn't slow down, he didn't even flinch.  It was as if he had been tail swished at.  The App was threatened a couple more times by another horse as well with no results.  On the plus side, other horses were kicking and being kicked at so it wasn't just my App. 

We had a fairly good time (minus the constant struggle to stay a speed) and went through woods and into a lot of water and up and down nice hills.  The people were...okay... to be around and I didn't have any major beef with them.  Yet.  Not the kind of people I would hang out with, as they had way too much drama and complaining going on, but they were okay.  We were finally headed back to the trailers and I tried, for the first time in the 3 hour ride, to take the lead so the App could possibly relax.  And it worked!  The App was walking at a very fast clip but was walking on a loose rein and had his head down and wasn't trying to jig or break pace.  This went on very nicely for about 2 solid minutes before people from the third group decided to gait on past, stirring up not only the App but most of the other horses as well.  And then the last 20 mins of the ride was exactly like the previous 3 hours.  Prancing, jigging, cantering in place, running sideways, the whole enchilada. 

Overall the ride was 3 hours and 20 mins long.  The ride was very pretty.  The ride was also pretty miserable as I had to fight the App every step of the way.  The people kept me separated from RB3, the only person I knew, just about the entire time and were certainly not sincere in their questions and comments. 

When we got back to the trailers I set up my grill and "stuff" on a picnic table that was next to my truck.  The second set of people then came over and completely took over the table, putting everything on the table and not even giving me room to keep my camp stove open.  RB3 drug over a second picnic table and so to keep the peace I set up there.  I had brought spicy brown mustard, yellow mustard and ketchup for the hot dogs.  We are about halfway through eating when the people from the third set of people had the nerve to comment "Over at the rich table..." and then "Where is your Grey Poupon".  I did a double take, did they just say what I thought they said?  Yes, yes in fact they did!  I told them all I have is ketchup and 2 mustards and dropped it.  I was, and still am, fuming.  How dare they when I was nothing but pleasant?  Where would that comment have come from?  I may have had the nicest trailer but someone else had a nicer truck.  I was riding a 19 yr old horse in a synthetic saddle.  In no way do my actions or tone scream "Rich", I am not rich.  I happened to get abnormally good deals on my truck and trailer and I brought 2 kinds of mustard so I was deemed rich?  Grrrrr!

I had a fairly good time and am happy I skipped going back out with them for a second loop.  I have no desire to go out with those people again and don't really want to go with the App again either right now.  I will wait for Mr Steady, aka TWH, to be sound and go with him.  I didn't like that everyone's horse kicks at each other, I didn't like fighting the App and I didn't like the other people's attitudes. Thankfully it was a gorgeous day so it wasn't a total waste.  Here's to looking forward to next time.