Trail wimp

Another eureka moment I had when I came back to horses was the day I realized "I'm a trail wimp".
These moments are hard for us re-riders because ... well there are a lot of them, but this one really hit hard.

I got to my horses one morning with my sister, we were going to take a ride with a dear friend who rides the trails often. I get Red saddled up with a western saddle my sister decides to ride bareback......now I have to say little Fancy the horse my sister was riding was like sitting on a couch she was comfy, so don't feel bad for Gina this was her choice.
Anyway we head out in to the great beyond the wind blowing in our hair.....just a beautiful day and our mounts were fabulous as always.
As I trailed along behind my friend I was sort of day dreaming of days when my body was much younger and I used to race through the "jumping trail" in Bridle trails state park across from our house......yes, I would haul through there with my Thoroughbred jumping everything with precision......wow what a great trail rider I was.
I even went further back to living in up-state NY, I would ride with a neighbor or alone, didn't matter, I was out in those trails bareback most of the time running for glory.......yes those were the days!
Just then I realized they are by far not over...NO.....here I am still riding the trails, YES I am as kick ass as I ever was.....me and my big bay horse.....yup we bad and we know it!

As the ride went on my friend took a small trail off to the left on the logging road.....see I know where that sucker is to this day.......anyway she was scooting along on her very energetic Morgan...beautiful horse and a good trail horse, my sister was coming along behind me on this fun little trail it was rather nice good footing yes I liked it.
Now my big bay horse would take his time but we stayed in fairly close proximity to those in front and behind..........but all of a sudden I looked a head and my friend had vanished......my word she had just vanished.
I called out her name and she called back, I rode a few more feet only to reach the top of a vertical drop.....wholly mother of beat all, there was my friend at the bottom of what looked to be a serious fall off of a cliff.......so of course I yell are you OK....."of course" she says are you coming down........I'm thinking the woman had fallen, she couldn't have pitched herself and her horse off this cliff willingly, could she?
Well yes she had, she had intentionally taken her horse down the cliff and she wanted me to do the same.....good God this was not happening......so she yells up "do you want me to come back up?
For the love of Pete I'm going to have to plunge to my death on my faithful big bay horse just to save face....OH GOD WE"LL DIE!
Now my big bay horse was only 5 years old at the time and the trails were new to him, however he loved heading in to them, he loved these trails.......he was not as perfectly sure footed as the Morgan she is a trail master, but he held his own..........more than anything I trusted him, trusted him to do his very best always.....my sister, well I know she was thinking the same thing I was and yes she was bareback, YIKES.
I stood at the top of the vertical drop I calmly took my reins and hooked them around the saddle horn then I silently said a prayer......at which time I closed my eyes and urged my big bay horse to lunge over the cliff, the big bay horse did take a rather large jump over the edge but then he realized he needed to slide on his butt or he would fall.......well that big bay horse was no fool and he did not want to fall......he also knew I was atop having an out of body experience so I was of no use to him.....he tucked that big butt right down and made his way down the vertical drop with out incident........in fact the only incident was my sisters little gray horse giving out a big buck for joy when they hit the bottom of that cliff my friend calls a hill!
Yes we made it safe and sound, me with white knuckles wrapped around the saddle horn my sister kinda white faced and my dear friend with a look of puzzlement on her face.
Nothing more was said that day about my near death experience.....however I knew at that point that I was a trail wimp.....oh that hurts.....not my big bay horse nope he was brave, just me, I was the trail wimp.
I remain to this day a "trail wimp" not that I don't go out in to them I do, I just have to swallow my pride and let others know.... I am Gerri and I am a trail wimp!

Until next time .....happy trails!