On the 28th of May, 2008 (Wednesday), my dad and I had a private lesson scheduled for horse back riding at the same ranch we had done our group trail at! I was so excited! Our whole vaccation was a blast! We got up pretty early to pack our stuff because after we would ride we would leave Sedona and drive up to the Grand Canyons for a few days. This whole trip was plnned out while we were there which was totally awesome! We only had the rental car, the first two nights, and that we wanted an adventure planned out when we first arrived. But anyways, we went back to the place where we were picked up and driven to the ranch. When we got there, we grabbed our horses (mine was named "Axel") and we set sail towards the round pen (20 meters). We had an hour of Western training (which is quite different from the dressage, stadium, and XC I am used to, I must say!) Then the wrangler let me loap (canter) around and show my dad how to ride it out. Then we went on our own private trail ride! We didn't have time to go anywhere in mountain range unfortunately, but we still had a great time taking pictures, videos, going through water, and just enjoying life! After about an hour and a half of our own trail, we met up with a group that we ate lunch with by the river. That was so fun! Then we got back on and followed that group back to the ranch where our wrangler said we could go back to the pen and just play around. I was so excited about this idea. So then we went in what was probably 40 meters by 100 meters of a rectangular area with three barrels. We jogged (trotted) and loaped (cantered) around before taking off galloping! ....I came around the corner loaping and my dad was loaping and I said, "Want to race?" Right then, my horse, Axel took off and raced my dad's horse.... It was a close call but I think I won by a nose. (Or a few horse's lengths). But we got a video of it! That was amazing too! I will upload videos and pictures soon! After thanking the wranglers tons, and leaving the ranch, we started for the Grand Canyons! It was a senic and beautiful drive up! We stopped a few times to get pictures and take it all in, but some of the trip up I fell asleep (I think anyways..) so then when we got there we went to our hotel room, unloaded everything, and we were touring the Grandness of the Canyons the rest of that night! Check in for updates of the rest of our trip!