Soggy trail days

I have been wanting to tell you just how much I have been surprised by my little Thoroughbreds attitude for things that, in the past, would have set her off and made her nervous to the point of not being able to listen and continue on our ride with calm or cool.

Some of our new trails run along side many properties that have hidden and sometimes, unhidden living and moving random animals of unknown origins.

To a prey animal, as she is in her world, these things deserve a "Look See" and a snort. This usually sends the little furry, bear like living blobs, a scurrying away!

Here is the only one I could capture...all the "Ewok" looking ones, that blend in Perfectly to the forest, ran faster than this little one that is like LISA'S Latte- only with spiky horns!


But these are not what gets her Goat, they after all, being goats..... It is the underbrush of some of our new trails.
These are small horse trails, maintained by hooves only. They are so beautiful and green yet, since they are maintained only by hooves upon them, they grow very quickly to be hidden trails.

Over the wintertime the local riders seemingly stuck to a few choice trails and I am now discovering all the rest, that loop and go between Forests lands.
I am not sure of the plant that seems to cover all our woods...but it's leaves are larger to receive light and for the life of me, I have a difficult time seeing the way to go.

Here is where my mare and her MareGPS has come in full force!
While I have a difficult time following the small obscured paths into the deeper forest; Washsahse now puts her neck down longer as she travels. It has really made some beautiful muscling definition! I just make a long bridge with my reins and let her travel the unseen to my eyes trails, as she is looking intently where her hooves are being placed ,along the forest floor.

I am so proud of her..she used to be very nervous with ANYTHING too close and-OH MY- Don't let anything Touch her!!! NOT now.

This red ribbon marker was a very welcoming sight this day, as we headed back...or...er ...a...I thought we were heading back! I can become disoriented in these new surroundings because there are sooo many choices for direction, the trail splits are numerous. I had put about six markers on branches and that is a lot of turns and trails...so...
I just about Yelled aloud-OH YEA-as I spotted our little red trail maker!!! After traveling for longer then anticipating in the Deep greens, It was a welcome sight!

I use red on the left as we head out to symbolize a seaman's term" RED RIGHT UPON RETURN". It has to do with the water channels ships and boats use in rivers ; the ocean being the place you return to.

I have new reins and endurance stirrups that have turned out to be excellent purchases during the NW Horse EXPO this spring..
The reins are not leather,they are thin grippy rubber, which I have to have during my wet-muddy outings to go with my either Bitless or halter bride , that are synthetic and won't ruin in the Oregons rains, that have hit -full force -these days. The reins also have clasps attaching them to the bit. These clasps at the rein ends makes getting off and needing more space between the mare and I to rearrange downed tree limbs on the trails easier...she dislikes it when I misplace a limb upon her body or she gets yanked with me working hard at moving something.

We also did something new for us....we practiced side passing. Me on a log, and she side passes over to me, so I may easily return to the saddle. It is going to take practice, as this was only her 2nd time.
These are my new Reins...and Old gloves! Wa looking down with her neck low, looking for the trail. Don't get dizzy watching..I almost did .

As of a day ago, we discovered that we may ride out from the paddock, pass through the 80 private acres of "Sherwood Forest" like grounds and go to the end of the second Tree forest(which I am making a new trail through the woods near it) cross the road...effectively getting us to trails we used to trailer to..now this is fun...endless fun!