When I was younger, I competed quite a bit – whether it was 4H shows, dressage competitions, jumping, or eventing. It always seemed like that was just what you did in the horse world. Come to find out, there are other super fun things you can do with horses that don’t involve competition. While I still do compete from time to time, I do it just for fun and don’t place so much weight on it in my life.
Here I am with Tupelo at a dressage show a few weeks ago.
I did grow up doing some trail riding, mostly during the winter months when the outdoor ring was too icy to ride in. We didn’t have an indoor ring where I rode at the time, so it was one of the only ways that I could get in any riding time during the colder months. We also would go on the occasional trail ride during the warmer months, but mostly we rode in the ring or the cross-country field.
Maximus (my borrowed mount) and Maverick (my friend’s trusty steed) during a break after a steep climb
Fast forward many years to 2012 and a friend invited me to take one of her horses on an overnight trail riding trip. Well that’s something that I had never done and hadn’t even really thought about doing. I had just finished graduate school in May and was pretty broke. However, I scraped my pennies together and agreed to join her on the trip.
We stayed at a really great place called Vershire Riding School in central Vermont. They had cabins, horse accommodations, and a large dining area. We met up with several of my friend’s riding buddies and spent an awesome long weekend trail riding. It was such an eye opening experience for me. Abstractly, I had known this was a thing, but I never really thought of myself as the type of person who got to experience it!
We had such an amazing trip! The views were awe inspiring, the other riders were very welcoming of my newbie self, and having nothing to do for a whole day other than relaxed trail riding was a dream.
I think you may be able to see my smile from the next town.
Just because you haven’t tried something and maybe it doesn’t fit with your idea of what something is doesn’t mean that it won’t turn out to be your thing.
Happy Trails!
Kerrie
