Back from vacation, just in time to be sick

Vacation was awesome. I visited Covell's Clydesdale Ranch and rode a Clydesdale. I rode a horse on the beach. I spent a lot of time on the beach, actually. Lots of sun, lots of sand, and nary a bit of the rain that has been inundating us here in the northeast.

I found out about Covell's Clydesdale Ranch from Karen at Bakersfield Dressage. She had taken a ride on them and recommended them.

Clydesdales!

While I am overall happy with the experience, nothing bad happened and I got what I paid for, I left disappointed. The ride wasn't nearly as long as I expected, the horses hadn't been groomed (ie. caked on mud) and the guide spent the entire time chatting with a friend who came along.

Thunder was my ride

Oh well, bucket list checked off. It wasn't a bad experience, perhaps I had built it up in my head too much? I thought it was a 1-2hr ride (45 mins, with 10 min halt break), I thought the tour guide would be interactive (she wasn't, unless I asked her questions), I thought we were doing more than riding to the top of a hill in a cow pasture (I thought it was riding through hills, not to the top of a single, long hill).

Walking after cows in the pasture

The ride on the beach was much better, despite it being a mess. I was supposed to go out with another guy and the guide and there was another group of 4 beginner riders.

My ride, Apache

Before I showed up, the guy threw a fit and refused to ride with me so I had to ride with the beginner group. I didn't really care, it just meant nose-to-tail walking for the entire ride. However this caused issues in which horses were assigned because "my" horse was a jigger if he didn't "run a lot" first. They asked if I would be ok with the horse originally intended for the 2nd group's tour guide and the 2nd tour guide would ride the jigger. I was fine with that, though "my" horse is now the only horse afraid of water. *eyeroll* 

Bucket list, riding a horse on the BEACH!

Overall the ride went very well. I was super happy to have not had the jigging horse, bc the tour guide did not have an enjoyable ride. At ALL. My horse was decent enough, his issue was actually the waves going out vs afraid of water He got disoriented and didn't like the sinking feeling. I tried showing him that it was ok when he would look to the shoreline, but I only got him in the water a half dozen times and I wasn't going to spend my ride training him.

On the trails at the beach

There was a black and white draft cross who LOVED the water and kept trying to go deeper. It was fun watching this beginner rider try to haul this horse back up to shore when the horse kept trying to go swimming. HA!  I would recommend them, and they were quite affordable. My guide, Kira, was very amusing and interactive.

Baby medium trot developing

The downside of riding in a western saddle two days in a row, they were both square seats and I actually bruised my seatbones. Ouch! It kinda hurt to sit for a couple of days. #Vacationproblems. Getting home was actually pleasant, the airline upgraded us to first class on the flight to Chicago so the long flight was enjoyable.  After we got home, SO got sick. Then I got sick. And now we are both sick. Lots of coughing, sneezing, and nose blowing has left me with a very, very sore nose and a possible pulled rib muscle.  SMDH.  I did ride Mia on a short ride on the road New Years Day and then for about 20 mins yesterday. She was foot perfect and while I have a little work in getting balance and stamina back, we will get there. Just in time for the deep freeze of winter haha.

Need to get back to this

I haven't been following blogs, many apologies. I hope everyone had a great holiday and good new year and is doing well with their ponies! Fingers crossed that I will be feeling better by next week and I can finally get back to a regular program again.