A Cow Trail and a Jeep Trail

 

What a great weekend!! Three days of spectacular riding. We had some wonderful rain on Friday, so Saturday we rode with chinks on and I had a waterproof jacket so we would have some protection against the cedars and madrones which hold the water in their branches. Nevertheless, the first tree we passed doused both Lynn and I across the face. Then the next one went down my neck. It just doesn't matter what one wears, water will win.

Last weekend, we rode way down toward Heidi Carpenter-Harris' place. It was the farthest we have gone down past the low meadow. It was fun and coming out was a lot faster than going in! lol

Saturday was pretty much a regular ride, except that the boys were a little skittish. It is bow season after all and we saw some hunters and there could have been more out there. On the way walking down the road there was a horse eating woman clearing out blackberries and putting up a No Trespassing sign. Sheesh. That was scary.

Sunday we went down on the ranch. We rode our regular route around the back side, then up the trail to the top of the knoll, then made our own way down and into the meadow. Apple eating and picking! Lynn had picked all different kinds last weekend and made a great pie, so she was after some more. Jupes was practically slobbering just thinking about getting over there. 

Lynn rode Zigs so we could check out a water crossing (although Toby Cobie is soo much better) and keep Zigs in shape for when Cathy comes to ride. There was no way we could get through the old way by the old corral, so she suggested we try going on the other side of the creek at the bottom and coming to the lower meadow from there. OMG. It was awesome. We followed a cow trail that lead us through to the crossing. There wasn't any brush and it was super easy. Then we tootled around down there. Lynn got off and checked out the old cemetery and took pictures of the gravestones/markers. We saw the bulls, but no one got excited or freaked out.

Monday was a surprise ride. The horses thought it was a rest day. Nope. We rode up to the top of Hennessy and took the jeep road to the right. We climbed and climbed and then rode along the top of the ridge. Then took a skid road that led us right to our Gray Falls trails. We rode it backward back to the road and then went up and around the loop and back to the top. It was a blast. We saw tons of potential trails and loops we could make. Lots to explore! 

It was a super fun weekend. 

A Long Day of Shoeing

Is he coming today? Are you sure? It's getting late. (We started tied the boys up at 9:45.)

I'll just sleep over here, Maybe you could bring me an apple every now and then. 

Seriously? What is he doing over there? And why I do I have to be first, Jupiter? Open your eyes! No relaxing while I'm being tortured! (He started working on Zigs at 11: 30.)

It was a long day of waiting. I found a chair to perch on (the middle is sort of gone).

Still waiting, but now I have my crochet.

Still waiting. Kind of even tired of scrabbling for horse hooves.

Still waiting.

Still waiting.

I know I untied  myself; I'm pretty clever aren't I? Well I couldn't see what you guys were doing and I was sooo far away. But the gravel? It hurts my feet. I promise to stop pawing, but please tie me lower on the fence so I can see you guys. Ziggy keeps whinnying; I think he wants me to come over there.

Still waiting. But maybe a cat will try to get by me. Or a squirrel!! Yes, maybe a squirrel.

I didn't take any pictures of the lightning or record the thunder or the sheets of rain that fell on all of us as we kept waiting for Pablo to finish. I put Z & K in the house when the sprinkles got harder and before the all the thunder and rain. At 4:45, Lynn got home. I met her at the car. Please hurry and put a rain jacket on and come help me. Zigs was done!! He was pacing and pushing and I know he was trying to step on my feet. Jupes was pulling his legs away from Pablo and getting smacked. Rain was running off me both inside my jacket and out and down my hat. No one was happy. I'm sure my trepidation over all the thunder and lightning above us was contagious and that probably added to the tension the boys were feeling. Plus, they had not eaten or drank since I caught them. They were hungry and tired of standing there and it was pouring down rain and running down their sides. They were cross.

He finally finished Jupes at 5:00ish. (Almost 6 hours later.) After being tied up for over 7 hours, when we turned them loose in the field, they bucked, reared up, twisty-necked, and raced all over the fields. We fed them after we could sneak out from behind the trees we were hugging! What a day. Next time I will wait to catch them when he turns into the driveway. :(

SATURDAY:

We rode up to the turtle pond. Lynn saw something in the water and there were bubbles, but we couldn't see what it was. T/C did really good in puddles and through mud bog below the pond. We wore our chinks and I had a waterproof jacket on, but our faces got doused with rain water held in the trees' leaves and needles and it still got down my neck. But it was a fun morning. 

Both boys were pretty sure there were horse eating monsters in the woods today. And maybe there were! It is hunting season (bow). Walking down the road to trailer, we had to convince them it was safe. But then it wasn't!! There was a lady in woods by the fence cleaning blackberries (?). All the animals saw her, Lynn and I were the last to observe her. I think I kind of jumped, too.

Nope, not going. Horse-eating monsters are between us and the trailer!