Met His Match

The gravel crunched beneath my wheels as I pulled slowly down the drive of the unfamiliar barn, Ransom in tow. This was the home of his new trail buddy, Ruger. The flashy copper chestnut with a blaze and white stockings hopped happily into the carpool, and Jamie climbed into the passenger seat of the truck. Together, we set off to explore new trails.

I’m selective about who I ride with these days. Either I’m calling the shots with less experienced riders, or I ride with friends I consider riding peers. Jamie is both a great rider and a good friend, and her mount for the day couldn’t have been a better match for Ransom. The two geldings are the same height, same age, and have the same eager, down-to-earth disposition.

We trotted side by side, matching strides down the wide meandering trail. Their ears pricked forward with the same sense of adventure we felt in discovering new territory, map stashed in my back pocket. Overhead, the sun played hide-and-seek between clouds and the canopy of trees. Bikers pedaled past and hikers scooted to the side, admiring our horses. This perfect match made for the best trail ride I’ve been on in a long time.