The Bridge is Finished .... Yippeeeee!!!!

So I posted a day or two ago about my project to secure our bridge for horse traffic and by securing the bridge reclaim my round pen panels AND get the bridge back .... I am happy to say, last night I put the last plank in place, took down the barriers (round pen panels) and opened the newly secured and renovated bridge to traffic.  Thanks Dad for getting me started and helping cut the planks.  I must confess, that covering the bridge end to end and side to side on the bridge required more planks than we originally thought, which is okay - it is done, ready to be used and we are (as they say) open for business......Wooo hoooo!

Taaa daaaa - finished bridge, no barriers

Closer view of the finished bridge.  I like it!!

With the bridge finished - new planks in place and the barriers gone, one of the questions was, "how would the horses react?" Would they like it? Would they use it?  Would it freak them out?  Would they notice? 

In 2008 Mama and Miss regularly used the bridge - would they remember?  Would they remember that the bridge wasn't a big bad boogie man stretched across the creek?  Would they use the bridge again?  Would the new planks make a difference - would they be a deterrent?  Truth be told, it didn't really matter whether or not they used the bridge - bridge had a new solid floor and was going to stay that way, no matter what the horses thought.  Would they remember and would the change I made matter, was more something to be curious about .... This morning I got Miss' answer.

That is Miss, hanging out by the bridge. 

Shadow is up by the tree.

Miss heading on to the bridge.  So far so good.

 Ambling across the bridge - checking it out.

I knew it - new bridge floor is no problem for the girl.

Here is a question:  Why did Miss cross the bridge?  To see if there were any snacks growing in the new floor - as long as it had been closed off .... surely something good had been growing?!!

 All the way across ... no worries! That's my girl!!

Indeed - it seems the verdict is in, WE like the new floor on the bridge (or she doesn't care that there is a new floor on the bridge) - either way, it is all good!

Now all I have to do is convince the boys that the bridge is the way to go .....