Exploring new trails

I went up to Vermont to attend my commencement (Masters degree!!) this past Saturday so I haven't been able to ride since our 5 mile trail ride on Thursday. I was positively itching to get back in the saddle yesterday. My friend A came to hang out and tagged along on foot. The goal of the ride was to find/explore a new trail that I half-attempted to look for the last time. We found it this time around and did about 1/3 of it. Rori's owner has never done these trails with her either so it was 100% new to both of us. Most of it was uphill. There were a couple of spots where she took pause but moved on willingly with encouragement. She really tries so much for me <3

Rori's canter is getting much better too. She's a lot more willing to do it on the trail than in the arena but we've gotten a few steps in from time to time. There's two sections of the trail great for trot/canter and those parts I usually let her stretch out into her race trot and encourage a canter. The last time we were on that stretch I'm pretty sure we got did a hand gallop haha It was much faster than any canter I've ridden before and we got up to like 15mph. It was amazing. So fun I had to turn around on the trail and do it again, obliging my shameless need for speed.

Warming up with some two-point...ugh my toes....

We like to pretend we're awesome