May 30th...
Today was going to be Encore's scheduled day off. The family was going to go for a several hour trail ride.
Our ride was going to consist of my wife, "Lisa", my daughter, "Serenity", her boyfriend, "Mike", and myself, on our own horses.
Serenity got delayed at a friend's house training one of her other horses and couldn't make it. So the three of us were going to go on our scheduled ride without her.
Due to some unusual circumstances, and Mike's horse panicking for some reason and hurting herself, we had to decide what we were going to do. (Just a reminder, remember, horses are like anything else, they can have a bad day also, and you have to always be alert to what they are doing, no matter how well they are trained).
After a lengthy discussion, and talking over our options, the horses we had available for riding, we all agreed that we could rearrange our equipment.
Off to the pasture I headed. I was about to end Encore's scheduled day off. I entered the pasture, and spotted Encore. I called for him, he raised his head and looked at me. I asked him if he wanted to come out and play with the big yeller pony, "the big yeller pony" is my usual horse.
Encore walked up to me, I clipped on the lead rope and away we went to get ready.
Once saddled, and everyone mounted, I decided we would hit the trails the same way we did yesterday. Down the drive we went Encore leading the way. To our surprise, Serenity's boxer decided to join us. I wasn't sure how Encore would react to this, because we usually don't let any of the dogs tag along with new horses. But Encore seemed to be okay with it so we continued.
Once out on the trails, Encore was introduced to several new objects once again. Deer blinds, a road grader, narrow trails over hung with tree limbs, hills, and even a raccoon. Not a flinch, hesitation, anything.
We walked, trotted, cantered, swapped leads with the other horses several times, stopped for a break.
The boxer was overheating so it was time to make a hasty retreat to a pond to cool off the boxer. Encore stood patiently watching the boxer stand in the pond to cool off.
I am totally convinced that one day Encore will make someone a very good trail horse/arena horse, and an all around good dependable companion. He has the intelligence to learn anything new and figure out quickly what is being asked of him. As long as he is never put in a position of someone purposely trying to hurt him, I don't feel he would do anything to purposely hurt his rider.
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