Hi-OH-NO, Lily!

So, let's do a little comparison.  No silver saddle or bullet.  

No polyester blue cowboy suit.  No pulling back on those reins to entice Lily to rear.  No double.

Nope,  none of that---just jeans, a polo shirt, a heavy roping saddle and a brief silent prayer.

I'd say, for certain that Lily did rival Silver, though, in the rearing department. 

More than likely, the Lone Ranger, or his double, was smart enough to pull back on Silver's reins on level ground.  That made their "Hi-Oh, Silver" much more impressive.

If Silver performed a 10 while standing on his hind legs, Lily most likely exceeded that. 

At least it felt that way.

According to witnesses, her gradual rise off the ground on a rocky, downward slope, was nothing less than surreal.

As for me, I'd already "been there, done that" as a 10-year-old lots of times on Delamarter's black mare.  It was fun back then.  

Not yesterday.  And, not on Lily.

As a 65-year-old, my excitement on yesterday's trail ride could have been easily satisfied with an incident-free ride on calm horse, happy to just plod down the trail with the other eight horses.

Well, Lily had different ideas.   And, she carried them out as only Lily can do.

Before we took off, I told the ladies Lily liked to be in the front.  So, they let me ride out front.

Soon, Lily became bored with that.  She slowed her pace so that the rest of the riders would have to slow their pace.

Eventually, half the string of horses had passed her.  Then, she wanted back up front.  

So, they let me ride back up front.  That worked for a while; then low-gear plodding started again.  

We were about mid-group when we started down the trail leading to the old cabin in a lovely meadow along Pack River. 

The trail was fairly steep and filled with protruding boulders.

About halfway down, I could feel Lily's powerful muscles and her need to perform.  

Oh, what a rear that was!

As if 45 degrees weren't enough, Lily rose 50, then 60, then 75, then 80 degrees into the air.

Riders watched with stunned expressions as she held that stance for what seemed like an hour.

I worried about the camera dangling from my back.  I always worry about cameras before myself. 

Finally, she began her descent.  

Then, a smooth landing on that rocky decline.  

Thank God!

"Wish I'd had my camera out," Moriha Yetter said.  "That was like slow motion."  

Once again, I asked the very accommodating group if Lily could go to the front.  

The ladies in front obliged, happily.  

Later, for some strange reason, Moriha described Lily as "fickle."  

Even later, Adrienne Nelson called her "athletic."  

I had a few other names for her, which nothing to do with elegant flowers.

Later, I told my sister Laurie about the great rear in the air.

"Didya stay on?" she said.

"Yup," I answered.

Laurie sounded relieved.  She knows Lily all too well.  There's a reason she refuses to ride my mare in horse shows.

All in all, I estimated that Lily behaved 90 percent of the time.   I could have done without the other 10 percent.

Still, I came home, thrilled about a wonderful outdoor experience in a beautiful setting with either other fun and patient ladies.  

~~~~
I mentioned Laurie,  who much prefers riding her horse Mani.  The two are a good match, as you all saw with last week's blog postings.  

Well, for any locals, we're putting on a reception for Laurie and Mani at tomorrow's horse show at the Bonner County fairgrounds.

It's the "Thank Goodness It's the Last Horse Show of the Season,"  which runs through the weekend.  

Just before the lunch break for tomorrow's English classes, Laurie and Mani will put on a short exhibition of their National Championship form.  

After the exhibition, we'll serve cake and punch at the north end of the horse barn.  

And, all those awards---trophies, ribbons and such---will be on display.  

Would love to see you there.  Pass the word!