Ride to Rattlesnake Bar

On 5/12 -  4 of us set out to Rattlesnake Bar.  We all took turns leading.  Zoe did better on the way there.  She had some trepidation going there and coming back.  The thing that made it better going than coming was the "wow" factor of going back home.  She was a little too excited on the way back, a little pushy, and had some head tossing thrown in.  But the funny thing was when I put her in front on the way back....well she wasn't in so much of a hurry.  The place where we took the lead was just before the last bridge.  She didn't want to go first over the last bridge on the way home.  Half way across she decided that backing up would be better-all the way off the bridge.  We went over finally, hesitating half way across.  It is really true that if you look at the obstacle - it becomes a BIG thing, but if you look beyond it-towards where you want to go-it really helps to get past the "scary thing".  I just focused on the trail beyond the bridge and I think it really helped.  There was a spot she did that on the way to Rattlesnake-don't quite remember the spot-but I remember doing the same thing-looking beyond and it really helped.  I want to do the trip again and again. She did better than she did last year on this trail....last year we had some refusals to go fowards on narrow trails that I just had to get off and walk her past it.  And last year she ran me into a tree on the way back, going up the hill towards Horseshoe Bar Road-no running me into trees this year.  So I guess progress has been made, but I want to see her do better.