last day of summer

I was planning on riding alone yesterday evening, but two friends joined me and it was great. I was hoping for a nice quiet ride, where Major would listen and we'd both just have a nice time. It turned out even better than that. Meeting up with Christie and Cheryl we headed out into the forest. The trails are dusty and everything is dry this time of year, but the air was pleasant and all the horses seemed to be enjoying themselves. We trotted in the beginning, even in the back not much fight from Major, and then I showed them how to find a different trail. It is rutted and nasty in parts, so we walked mostly, but still lots of fun. Got to the big overlook and enjoyed the view. Sometimes Cheryl is nervous about what her horse can do, but the steep, loose rock, gravel hillside was no problem for Dune. We knew it all along.

Major is quite competitive, walking quickly and trying to sneak into the lead, but I just keep pulling him back and choosing where he goes. He isn't rushing up on the horses like before, and stayed far enough behind to actually watch where he was going and not trip over his own feet. A nice quiet ride to end the summer. I know Fall is a beautiful season, but I truly hate it. It gets darker every day, just signaling the start of cold dark days of winter. I also know we're lucky to live in California, but I can still complain!

For now I'll enjoy the weather. I have a lesson tonight to practice for the upcoming horse show, and we need lots of practice!