Fall Ride

Monster spend the weekend working at the lodge and wanted to go out for a short ride before we came home today.  For the first time, he agreed to go out on the mountain instead of just riding around town.  Since he wanted to ride Estes, I chose to take Compass' horse, Eli.  Compass is off at Meeker, acting as camp cook until Tuesday, when she'll head down to Arizona to drive a team until November.  In the meantime, Eli has joined our herd and she's been telling me all summer I should ride him, so I did.


The weather was less than appealing on the way up...

And it didn't get any better the higher I got...

But the colors were amazing...

I grabbed Eli (isn't he a handsome boy?) and away we went...

Monster hamming it up for the camera...(and Bill riding drag)

Monster lead out for a while and on the way home Estes decided to act up.  This picture was just moments before Monster and Estes had a Come-to-Jesus meeting.  Monster's an intuitive horseman...he doesn't see it, but he's got great instincts for dealing with her.  She wanted to go home at her own pace; Monster said no.  She said yes; Monster said, no and we're going to turn away from home.  She said, yeah, well, take this and executed a perfect roll-back.  Monster said, oh, hell, no and made her stand quietly while he dismounted.

The minute his feet hit the ground and he transferred her reins to her halter to lead her home, you could see her deflate...oops, I screwed up.

 He spent the whole walk back giving her what-for and she listened intently.

Is this a sorry horse or what?