Hacking through the Swedish Woods

Hey all! I know it's been a while, but I've been too busy with school to ride.  I met a new friend a couple months ago in a new Spanish class who has ridden her whole life, she and her family breed and train warmbloods for show jumping. About a week and a half ago a new filly was born! Her name is Come Fortune. She is a cute little light bay with a white marking on her face.  When I met her a few days ago, her teeth hadn't even come in yet. I spent time scratching and petting her, and she rubbed and sucked on my hand a bit.  She was the youngest horse I've ever met, so it was a fun experience.  I also met several stallions and some of the riding and breeding mares. They were all very nice.

I got the opportunity to ride one of the mares, a bay named Cocco.  She was a very pleasant horse, a real "thought-reader"  who was sensitive to the rider and barely needed to be touched to do what I wanted.  She also had one of the most lovely canters I have every ridden; it was smooth and easy to ride.

My friend and I rode on the trails, talking and enjoying ourselves, and even went of the path and into the woods and fields.  Unlike the golden and brown summer grass in California, the fields were of verdant green grass and flowers, some of which were the purple and blue lupin flowers, just like the ones in Calfornia. It was also lovely to ride through the shade of the trees and past some old farms.  My friend said that one of the old farms we passed had been used in a famous old Swedish movie, but I do not recall the name.

We walked for most of the time, but in some portions we allowed the horses to canter freely.  It was exhilarating to let loose and to canter freely outside of the arena, and I feel it was much easy to ride the canter like this.  I rose out of the saddle and could easily rode her smooth gait. It was so great to be back in the saddle on such a lovely horse and ride in the open with no pressures.