Mid-week hurry home/separation rides

I've had interesting mid-week rides this week.  Wednesday Zoe and I went out by ourselves.  We loped up the sewer road, dropped down to a walk fine, spent time walk/trot for a while.  We turned to go home and saw another rider from our barn heading out on a ride just as we were headed back home.  Zoe then decided it was time to be in a hurry to get home.  Hurry for Zoe means walking very fast and maybe breaking into a trot.  Sometimes there is some head tossing thrown in.  Today we experienced all of those.  So we got to trot back up the hill we just came down.  Zoe wasn't too happy to start with-had some "steering problems".  But we made it up the hill and on the way back down was better-not so much in a hurry and no head tossing.  Once closer to home she calmed down even more.  I know some riders experience much more "hurry home behavior" than that, but for Zoe that is her M.O.  We did have to recross the creek on the way back as it wasn't done very calmly.

So I was wondering what to do for my next ride.  Do I do it alone and make it a loopy, up and down, back and forth ride-to deal with the hurry home behavior?  Or do I go out with my friend (as I usually do on Thursdays) and push the edge of the envelope in other ways?  I chose the 2nd option.

So on Thursday I went out with D and Sky.  We took turns loping in the lead on the sewer road.  Horses were fine.  I suggested before we left that we do some seperation, so we did that.  We found some large seperations to do, ones that you can't see or hear the other horse.  The horses did really well with this.  I think they are getting used to it.  I think they understand the "game" and know that the other horse will eventually show up.  The last separation was in a place we haven't played this game yet.  Zoe was a little bit wary but was listening well.  I think she was surprised to find Sky waiting for us.

Then we took the trotting trail home.  Zoe was in the lead.  You would think that with all the separations we did that Zoe would have been more confident going home.  After all her buddy was with her.  However there was a hawk buzzing us on the trotting trail.  Zoe didn't like the bushes moving when it landed.  She spooked about 3 times-tried to run to the side (WHERE ARE you going to go?) and jumped 2 times (it's just a BIRD, you DORK).  Just keep going, I told her, you'll be fine.  She did calm down.  Funny horses, just when you think it's all good, there's something to keep you on your toes.  Got a chance to practice balance and heels down.  I think the Pilates are paying off.  I did say at the beginning of the ride that I wanted to push the edge of the envelope!