Trail Ride day..and..another first!

You know how after a really really good day you feel like something unfortunate is just waiting on the sidelines to spring up on you and spoil your fun?

The day actually started out great. We loaded our horses up, got there and had a lovely stroll through the different loops of the forest.

What a beautiful day!

Max and Layla were so relaxed. We had some fun trots and canters along the paths with good footing. The forest was singing and full of life on this warm indian summer day.

When we got to the clearing we decided to give our horses a chance to run around. Max loved it! We started with some relaxed canters and when he asked for a gallop, I let him go! Weee!! Layla and Max played race horse up a hill and we all had a great time!

Anyway, on to the drama. Max has a shorter stride than Layla so we are constantly about this distance away:

Wait for meeee!

When we were exiting the field Max was still hot and raring to go. He didn't want to be left behind. To help ease his mind I would go from walk to trot to catch up to Layla. Unfortunately we trotted on a rocky area that was hidden by fallen leaves and his shoe came off! :( :( 

I felt so bad!!! Luckily I had packed a diaper, vet wrap and duct tape in his cantel bag. I wrapped his foot up nice and snug to prevent bruising, tried to look for his shoe but gave up after a few minutes. With all the fallen leaves lying around it was like looking for a needle in a haystack!

My poor Max now needs the farrier to come out and put a new shoe on. Maybe it's for the best as his feet looked like they need some work done anyway. (even though his shoeing was only about three weeks ago)

Our first thrown shoe!! Argh..at least..it was at the end of the ride and he is not limping. A little tender but hopefully no damage done *fingers crossed*  I left him in his paddock happily munching on hay. 

The things I put my poor horse through!