October Field Trips with Natty

October was another busy month. Early in the month, Lightning Bug was gelded. It all went smoothly, and he’ll have a better life for it. I have wonderful caring vets and vet techs. Here, Lightning gets an affection pat while he’s waking up.

Maggie wasn’t feeling so great around the time of Lightning’s gelding, and the sweet boy stood watch over his mama while she rested.

In the middle of October, I took Natty on her second-ever field trip to Tryon Creek State Park. Chance was lame again, and I had promised to take Mom riding, so I took Natty instead. She’s a lot of work because she’s so green, but she’s perfectly calm and safe and generally does what she’s supposed to.

Natty’s first bridge crossing – she didn’t bat an eye!

Natty’s second bridge – she was much less certain of this one because it wasn’t solid and she could see the creek below, but she still crossed it fine.

We made it safely back to the trailer after Natty’s first trail ride!

This trail ride was he hardest work Natty has ever done in her life. My beautiful girl was tired!

Now for a few pictures from home. Annie looks like some small child took the scissors to her mane, poor girl.

Here are some shots of the foals playing:

Yesterday Natty and I went to the beach! It was Natty’s first time at the beach and my first time there with my horse.  She was awesome, as usual   Well, she wasn’t easy to steer on the beach and really wanted to go back over the dunes where there was grass and no ocean, but she was pretty darn good.

Natty’s first glimpse of the ocean

Down onto the beach we go

Natty’s none to sure about this lake – it smells funny and seems to contain a horse-eating monster that keeps rushing in her direction.

Thank you to Lauren for hauling us to the beach with her! That big black horse in the  background is a Clydesdale/Lipizzaner cross- fascinating horse.

Image was brave enough to go into the water

A bigger wave almost knocked her over! Look, she is wet all the way up o her mane.

I guess Natty wasn’t too stressed by the whole beach experience

After the beach, we checked out the trails on the other side of the dunes along the bay. This was more Natty’s speed, although she was very focused on the fishing boats on the bay