Back in the Saddle Again...

With Angel, the only mare on the ride.

  By this, I mean we were literally back in saddles again this week. My mom's birthday was Wednesday, and since she has a love of horses and all things western, she took us riding. After picking up my aunt Joanie, we headed north, stopping only for lunch at Burgerville. Then we made our way to McMinnville, and followed directions farther and farther into the hills to the Flying M ranch. Family owned and operated, the Flying M has day rides and little hour long trail rides for anyone and everyone, including foreigners. After saddling us up, on all male horses, we hit the trail through some typically beautiful Oregon wilderness.
  My mom was up first, on Squirt. Then Joanie got on Cheerio. Paul was put on Rowdy, who lived up to his name. I was last, and got good old Otis. Before Paul got on, he got a little talking to about how Rowdy was a little "rotund" and so his blanket and saddle tended to shift during ride. He could also be a temperamental sort, as his name suggested.
   My horse, Otis, was basically a dumb stomach who just wanted to be friends. He tried to eat at any opportunity, (well, they all did), and kept crowding the horses in front of him. Rowdy didn't take to this sort of friendliness and kept giving Otis the evil eye, threatening a bite or a kick, and towards the end, nipped him good enough to send us off the trail. I kept my seat, and Joanie went between us. But did Otis learn? Oh no, maybe he though Cheerio would be nicer, but a sharp kick not two minutes later nixed that idea.
   So we made it back in one piece, with some sore behinds, but happy. We finished the day with a trip out to Mt. Angel for dinner at the Glockenspiel restaurant. A German restaurant with fondue! Thus ended our horseback adventure.