Bob on Venture's Golden Satin and me on J R. on one of our rides in the snow. Shown with me is Erica, my two year old lab. If we ride 2 miles, she runs 6. She loves the trail rides.
I think everyone around here is getting pretty tired of the pretty white fluffy stuff that has been falling so regularly from the grey skies. The days are so bitter cold and the wind adds to the misery.
However, we have found a few days recently that were nice enough that we saddled up horses and rode in the snow. I invited a friend out a couple of Saturdays ago for a ride in the snow and she was thrilled. Sheri rode my gelding, Chocolate Amigo. She has taken him on trail rides before and he is an amazing horse for trail rides. He is afraid of nothing. He does stop at times and check things out such as the creek.
The next week we went for more rides in the snow. My nephew, Buddy, and his two sons have been working on cutting trails through the woods so we can have more territory to ride once crops are planted this coming spring. We rode in the woods for a short piece. Bob on Amigo and me on J R. They had not cut very far into the woods so we only went a short distance in. They had started a new path from the opposite side of where they worked yesterday.
We rode on around the fields and Bob rode down the hill to check out the path they had already cut the day before. Amigo got to the creek and didn't want to cross. The problem was that J R and I had not gone down the trail and Amigo didn't like being separated from J R. Horses are such herd animals and have such herd instincts that they do not really like to go off all alone. So rather than force the issue and take a chance on a spill in the creek, Bob brought him back up the hill.
Later he did cross another creek. He has been crossing the creek that we ride through to come back to the house. But this time he was in a strange situation and it was uncomfortable for him. So rather than force the issue and have a long wet ride home we saved it for another day.
The day came last week when Buddy got through cutting the trail through the woods. He came the next day and brought his oldest son. This was the day we were going to ride the new trail through the woods. There were five of us so it made a very nice group of riders for our first ride on the new trail.
It is a very nice trail. It has enough down hill places and up hills. Some flat spots and branches to cross. In fact we cross the branch about three times. With snow melting the branch is running pretty good. J R stopped for a good long drink of water. My two labs were with us and of course they both had a good time in the cold water.
I appreciate my nephew and his sons coming here to cut trails through the woods. It really makes a nice ride. It is a lot more fun that just riding in the fields all the time.
But Buddy assures me that he is not finished yet. He has more trails planned and intends to lengthen the trail he has already cut. He also has a favorite spot back on the trail. It was his get away from it all spot when he lived here on the farm. He has plans for a wooden bench and rail to tie the horses up. Then he is going to fix up a mounting block. It will be an awesome place to stop for a lunch or just for a short rest. It is in front of the babbling brook. A lovely spot to rest.
We have gotten several good days of riding in recently. It has been so much fun. Although I have been riding J R a lot, I finally graduated up to a more lively horse and I am now riding Amigo. Eleanor has been here a couple of days to ride her horse, J R. Bob has been riding Satin and various ones have been riding other horses.
It has been a lot of fun riding in the snow but I am glad to see it leaving. However, now we have a lot of mud to contend with.
Tonight we were checking the pregnant mares. They are getting very close to foaling. All three are beginning to make bag so the time is getting close. They have been in the barn through the worst of the weather. They are on a ration of good alfalfa hay and grain. They have a good life. Today though it was windy and not so good outside, they had enjoyed rolling in the big stall with all the fresh shavings.
May God bless you and keep you in his loving care.
Regards,
Mary
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