1st Day Second Stop

October 3:  After lunch we climbed back on the horses and rode to a new gorgeous spot that had a natural spring coming out of the rocks.  While the horses munched on tall grass, we enjoyed the sunshine and beauty of the landscape.  We filled our water bottles and added iodine tablets. When I was twelve, I received a brown pony with white splashes for Christmas.  Her name was Lady and she loved water.  Whenever we came to a puddle, she would lie down and start rolling.  Since I didn't want to get wet, I would lose the reins, hop off and find dry land.  Then Lady would hop up and run home with me chasing after her, me having to walk the rest of the way.   That wasn't the only time that Lady would have me off her back when I wanted to be on her back.  One time we were galloping on wet asphalt.  She went down and I went up and over her head landing on the black crash pad breaking two fingers.  I guess I was never good at staying on a horse. Would I be able to stay on a horse while riding in the grasslands of the Tibetan region in Gansu? As late afternoon approached, we climbed back on the horses, rode from empty fields to yak filled fields and I had my first "fall."  My horse suddenly stopped, bent down, started scratching its knee with its head and then proceeded to lie down and start rolling in some black dirt.  Not wanting to be crushed, I quickly found a way off.   Stay tuned.  That roll in the dirt was just a warm up "fall."