Turning Point

The other day I was riding Quick, we were by ourselves on a trail that we know well. Quick was being slightly spooky, giving everything a good eyeball or two. We moseyed along, not in too much of a hurry at the moment having just started out and it was rather hot out. We got to the cross roads, we could go either direction, it didn't matter much to me being a loop so I let Quick decide. He chose to go to the right, probably because if  you go that way you can get home in less than 5 miles! We went off up the hill.

Quick picked a a nice canter. My stirrups were a little long for two pointing, but I got my bum out of the saddle. I was distracted by the fact that I had just gotten him to leg yield over at a canter to avoid a blackberry bush that threatened to claw us and asked to go back the direction we just came, and he did! Then...
OMG WHO PUT A PIECE OF WOOD THERE??!?!?!?

Quick hit the brakes, exiting stage right from where we had been. I ended up on his neck, feeling that this was happening in slow motion. I didn't loose my stirrups, but I was square on his neck, hugging his neck. He came to a halt (by the way this has happened within the span of maybe a few seconds) and I am still on his neck. Before I even start to right myself Quick lifted his head HIGHER. He didn't drop a shoulder, drop his neck, try to evade me getting righted in the saddle or just continue what he was doing regardless if I am where I am supposed to be or not. He LIFTED HIS NECK UP. I righted myself and sat there rather speechless. He was still a little frazzled from the attack of the wood, so I patted his neck and asked him to move on.

I rode the whole ride in the same kind of stunned feeling. We found a new feather to commemorate this occasion. 

Viva Quick