TTA Hunter Pace (Part 2)

This post is the second half of the Tewksbury Trail Association Hunter Pace. 

I left you off at the half way hold.  With 5 miles already under my belt, I felt pretty good and ready to go after our 2 minute hold.  I was able to get a quick drink of water at the hold and Liam just stood around for the 2 minutes completely relaxed.  Off we went for our second half of the hunter pace which was another 5 miles.

We headed up the hill through the park's corn field and out the side of the park to more private properties.  This part of the hunter pace was really hilly.  One that goes up, must come down...  Liam was felling pretty good and energetic still, but not at all fresh anymore.  We were able to trot up all the hills and walk down them on the other sides.  The pony started acting funny about down hills.  It was almost like she would hop down them... My friend decided that she would get off on every down hill and hand walk the pony down.  She said that down hills were always hard for the pony, especially because it was the first pace out for the fall season.  I give credit to this pony.  She is 23 years old, going on 24, and still sound and happily chugging along. 

Because my friend was getting on and off for every down hill we were getting passed a ton.  I was really happy with how Liam was behaving about this.  He just happily waited while other horses were passing by...  We were even passed by the pair that we went in front of at the start.  The pair that the starting guy told us to go ahead of.  I pulled Liam off to the side of the trail to let them go by.  I thanked them for letting us go first at the start.  I was shocked by their response. The older lady said very rudely that we could have asked to go in front...  My mouth dropped wide open and I was horrified.  I never meant to be rude and I guess I can kind of see it from their prospective that I was rude, but in all honesty I didn't want to die.  The starting guy could clearly see that Liam was becoming a handful and told us to go ahead.  Trying to make Liam wait can really be bad, he will start rearing and hopping around putting on a real show.  It can be very dangerous...  Next hunter pace I think I am going to go to the start of the hunter pace and talk to the starting person before I even tack Liam up.  This way I won't be "rude" when I get there with Liam, trying to keep him relaxed, but assertively letting the starting person know that this could get ugly. 

After they passed we had a lovey ride to the finish.  My hips were getting really sore though... I have never had this happen to me.  It was always my feet in the stirrups, but never my hips.  I jumped off right after the finish line and hand walked Liam back to the trailer.

Finished through the water!!!

We ended up second to last in the hunter pace.  We really made good time in the beginning, but with all the stopping and starting at the end we really had no chance.  We loaded the horses and headed home with any difficulty.