World's Shortest Trail Ride

We drove for three hours on Saturday, to Soapstone Prairie, to give all of us a trail ride before Expo and the Show this week.

Fifteen feet onto trail, as Ashke picked up an extended trot, he pulled his right front shoe. I felt him falter, but when I checked from the saddle it looked like they were both still on.

A mile out, I turned to check on J, A and Iz on their bikes. Iz was just behind me, but J and A were still a ways back. I watched as A over balanced and fell off her bike, and off trail. J turned around and went back. I watched for a moment, then realized that A was hurt.

I turned around and headed back, telling Iz her mom had fallen. We rode back. Ashke was acting really funky, throwing his head up and fighting with me even though we were heading back. When I got to A and J, I got off to see if I could figure out what was happening with him. J was wrapping up A's leg (gashed open her shin), and then helping pick cactus spines out of her butt. I checked Ashke and realized the chin strap was messed up and super tight. No wonder he was so unhappy when I was trying to open the gate. Poor baby.

J looked up and asked if he had thrown a shoe. I looked and sure enough, the right front was gone.

We headed back to the trailer and headed home.

I had Ashke's front feet redone on Sunday. My farrier said pulling the shoe was a blessing in disguise since he has put on a ton of hoof in the past four weeks and both of his fronts needed to be reset. They look much better now.

Tomorrow we head to Expo. Wish me luck with my show.