My World with a horse

I am bidding my Trail Riding Buddy goodbye. It is soooo bitter sweet too. Been lamenting, the past month. Tough to see someone you love go; though exciting possibilities await him.



Been taking him to all my favorite places to ride, since he broke the news. This day, he did love the spectacular view from "Stony Mountain" overlooking of the Valley. We can see Molalla, Colton, Beavercreek and Oregon City.



These pics have a weird hue to them because...not only am I saying goodbye to him.... said a "surprise goodbye" to ALL MY PHOTO'S on my card. I had an accident but fortunately, could at least- take a photo of a photo from some hard copies I made for his going away party, 2 weeks ago.


My Private Barn Owner finally found her house from our view point-Thanks to James spotting it!!! We've been looking the wrong direction all summer. It is literally-under her pointed finger in the picture.


The two equine comrades enjoy a few tasty apples, before being wrapped up and loaded in the trailer for the first 5 hour stint to Texas. A Journey to an unknown field and stable.

Good bye my friend...we rode hard sometimes and long. We explored new trails and you helped me start to ride them with confidence. We Laughed and now, have cried too.

I Pray thee well ~

Goodbye sweet Quincy ~

Please so click the TITLE to go around the world and glimpse others worlds today!

Sunday Stills Signs of fall

Three things I adore about now, early fall, are stepping just outside my back or front doors to be greeted by any one of these~

The grapes are sweet and aromatic, calling you to the arbor, way before you even glimpse them.

The lanterns are close by, growing up on an old chair.

And my husband wastes no-time, making a fire in one of the fireplaces we have in the yard, on a cooler fall morning like today. He draws me outside with the smoky smells, for a sit

and coffee with him~

Thanks ED for this wonderful time to capture moments in time and glimpses of life~

Please click the title and see others SUNDAY STILLS shots today.

Pretty thoughts

There is something of poetry born in us each,

Though in many, perhaps, it is born without speech, -

An existence but dumb and uncertain, that strives

For expression in vain through the whole of their lives;

That is glad when the spring wears its beautiful smile,

And is sad when all nature to tears would beguile;

That can feel in the summer a glory divine

Thrilling on though the days in their silvery shine;

That can drink in delight in its radiance rare

When the mellow-hued autumn breathes peace like a

prayer;

That can weep with the world in its woe of to-day,

And to-morrow take part in its merriest play;

That can stand on the mountain-tops often, and see

Where the far-away gardens of paradise be;

That can sound with its plummet of feeling the deeps

Where despair in the darkness of destiny sleeps;

That can feel, and can be, yet can never express

All the feeling and being its life may possess,

But that yearns with a yearning no poet e'er knew

In its silence of years for the speech of the few.

Another thing

I realised that there is another thing I have in common with my mare....

While planning the end of summer beach trip this time, I yearned to have some alone time with the mare in one of the most favorite of settings I have the privilege and blessing to ride in.

Though I had room to share in the trailer for another, I decided that I would go it alone and hopefully even ride alone, this time, with her.

I have never done that at the beach. Oh sure...I have done the occasional separation move to calm her down and she does quite readily, once others are out of the picture. That has always surprised me too...Washashe being the social mare that she is. She actually gets better, while alone...even if the horses are ahead of her..if they are out of sight..it literally is almost-"out of mind" !

I can get all tied up in knots about thinking of whom I may ride with- having a sensitive Thoroughbred mare that feeds off others that are nervous or competitive. So this time...instead of fretting..I planned on riding alone.

We all headed for the beach at the same times and started together...I was wondering how I would break off without being rude or anti- social looking.

Well, each time it occurred naturally. The first ride, we set out together and planned on riding the Bay Side. I took the pains of putting the hoof boots on Wa mare. Then planned on taking them off for perfectly sandy shores, after I reached the Jetty some 30 or 40 minutes later.

I then was apprised of the time constraints of this ride, and I hate time constraints!!! They did not want to be out as long as it would take to ride to the Jetty...and I did not want to get off after only 20 minutes of riding, to take off those blame hoof boots, to ride in the sand where I need them NOT!

So..I let them all go and rode on down the road.

I missed out on the group photos, but had a fantastic ride alone..she was really relaxed and so was I!

The next time out, we were all just naturally separated, by leaving at different times to hit the beach. It was a higher tide and everyone did their own thing. I again had a nice, fun ride with a bit of galloping and trotting in the surf , with the mare. Trotting in the surf really makes for a buoyant, lofty and round horse as they are looking at the ripples of rushing water below themselves! I loved it!

I then discovered, that the other thing we have in common is: we are peace being alone and enjoy less pressure. Groups can make us nervious, and we tend to separate eventually for more solitude-

Though -this being said-we are social in our heart and love a few trusted companions that are longsuffering with us.

New Views

Though I have the same eyes and go for some of the same shots as before...having a better camera lends itself to some better quality photo's!

I do not have to stand so close to the mare to get close-ups now...she relaxes some and I therefore could take a nice shot of her last weekend,while she paused to contemplate her next bite of Beach grasses...her favorite kind!

Equines on sandy shores

First Light of day over the trailers of Bay Ocean House Summers end trip with our horses~

I arrived on the second day of the 4 day beach escape-summers end trip. There were 9 horses and 5 trailers. WHOA...it was creative trailer parking..but we managed pretty well.

I always love the sunrise over the Bay. The horses have this view and they are mesmerised by the boats traveling to and fro.

I was so pleased to have Mirah Stuart, our local Equine Therapist friend come on down for the last night. All else had left Sunday, the 3 of us remaining, had a nice time together sunning and talking. She brought her cute older dog companion with her.

Then, I FINALLY had the pleasure of riding with her. All these years of her working on my mare and now we even barter hair for therapy. YEA-We walked on the buckle at sunset...It was fantastic and I adored every second. It was as if my mare recognised the loving heart and hands she rode with and she left all cares behind, in her hoof prints!!!

Riding at Sunset, where ever I am, is the most relaxing and enjoyable thing on earth to me.

We made for home with just enough light to show us the way.

My tack room lock decided to not open and so Plan B...no halters/ropes . Therefor, no way of tying the horses...so we just did not..they were fine.

We retired the horses, and retired ourselves after watching some Bull riding and called it an awesome weekend with lovely horse loving friends and perfect Fall weather(imitating summer).

Spiderweb free riding

I am so happy to be going back to the place that I will not have any spidery webs, with the dangling creatures to ensnare my face and fall down my shirt.

It does make for a hilarious- atop the horse- creative dance movement though...when it is NOT YOU doing it!

My Old riding buddy- though a man, showed much enthusiam on our last ride,with little throaty, high pitched groanings. I would look up to see him flailing his arms around and dusting his torso off, wildly, in attempts to free himself from the cement like elasta-web. I was giggling so hard-not a sound could you hear from me!

Be back after the weekend all...you make sure to have a nice time with the horses and your families!

Fluttery, feathery, flapping everywhere

Remember the ride with all my girls from the barn? Click if not-

I will tell you about the fluttery happenings of that day and more now....

My PBO just sent this picture to me, I had wondered if it had come out.

On the first leg of the ride, where my mare surpassed all of our expectations by being a great Lead Boss Hoss and also a follower in the same ride, we came upon some baby DOVES. They were not able to fly as yet. 3 of them scurried into the bushes beside the creek and this one, it just kept fluttering ahead of my mares hooves. It was directly on the trail and I had to stop for it many times, as it would get all tuckered out from the pursuit.

I finally dismounted and handed the mare over to someone to hold. I then gave actual pursuit, to try and catch the little beauty and return it to where it's siblings had remained. It of course did not realize my good intentions and tried to flee. I am sure it's little heart about gave out -for the fear- as I scooped it up in my hands and quickly walked it back down the trail to place it near the place it started to flee.

On the way back home that day....I took another trail home and some went that same way near the creek. The foursome sibling flock were right there on the trail again....yet this time they all scurried into the bushes-together!

This does bring to mind many incidences of flying, feathery occurrences, up where I ride. A couple weeks ago, we were on the way down from Stony Mountain and flocks of very large creamy -grey Doves would fly out of the tree tops, just above us and into a nearby tree grouping. It happened over and over again as we came down the road. We all were silent and watching this..it was amazing. I have NEVER seen so many Doves in one area ! It was a DOVE CONGREGATION ! They are the neatest birds..as they fly, and they fly fast, their wings actually whistle!

Last weekend, as I finally discovered a very nice loop, off the Rockwall trail. I was riding Danny for only the 2nd SOLO ride. He is a follower..he checks out and does just that -FOLLOWS calmly-keeping his ears almost pinned listening to you.

Well the first time I took him out SOLO..he about had a Cardiac Attack at every little thing that moved and mostly things that did not!! I like how "Horse of Course" puts it..us "two-legs" just ask far too much of the four legs... there are leg eating logs and such in the paths we ask them to take!

Well OL' Danny Boy is such a good boy..he gets all freaked with something and All it takes to get his mind back quickly-I discovered- is a tingle of something in his eye's view. Something like a branch with some leaves remaining on the end, so it makes a rustler noise, if shaken. Or a dressage whip held out in the direction- he thinks he shall escape in. He responds nicely to suggestions like that..I never touch him with any of it.I just ask him to move forward and lightly rub his withers in approval, in advance. He is beginning to trust me more and more.

So...we were discovering all sorts of leg eating monsters -yet-he was still willing to move ahead. We got to a patch of brushy trail and OH MY....Flutter-WHOOSHING -and a very clumsy chucker-grouse or-?-Flies out and Danny almost flattened to the ground, I swear. It does give one that adrenaline RUSH...I dislike......then Another, and another!!! 3 Of them, in a row.

I was still on and he was still standing, though braced. I laughed and started to talk out loud..helps me breath again and calms the feeling rigidity in my body to the equine under me!

Then again...3 more, on what seemed like a timer....he did not stop this time...then 3 more, 20 paces up!!! I was soo laughing out loud and he was not even fazed by the last set of 3 clumsy birds that fly-scuttled from the underbrush!

It was an all out assalt on the sences that was perfect for us that day...get it all out- right now like! We found the loop trail to Stony Mountain too!

Taken hostage

My camera has taken all my photo's hostage!!!

Last weekend , during the second days ride with my "Old Trail buddy" that is about to move and my PBO...I lent the camera over for a few pics of me for a change, and that started the revolt. It took offence and now, has refused to open altogether. I took it to the local photo processing place and sat and made hard copies for me and my friends..but was so tired by the end of that I failed to make a disk for here.

We made a discovery, we located the house of my PBO from the Stony Mountain view point!I have an awesome pic of the house from there...but you will have to wait for it now! I am looking into cameras, for the upcoming Bay Ocean House beach trip. I mean, it is TRADITION that I set the photo's up on the TV every day, for all to see themselves and hoot and holler a bit with the candids I take.

Two weeks of missing shots is killing me here..like last evening..oooula la. We went out for a short ride, after I packed some stuff for the beach. It was darkened out with a sort of angry sky. It was totally focused near Colton and the East all day. No wind and no rain, at all...just swirling hovering darkened clouds. The mare and I set out, and took the forest loop to the creek and then on into the next forest stint.

The trees had an eerie cast of lighting upon them...orange-ish and glowing. I got spotted glimpses and it was really nice.

We returned with the headlamp through them ,20 minutes later as the light was gone through the dense branches of fir limbs. I came out to the tree clearing and took the trail my PBO made though it..I was mesmerized with the sights of a darkened- cloud- capped- sky, in ribbons of golden- pink. I took a glance over my shoulder, to the Stony Mountain range and The Green Mountains ascending. OH!!! I gasped out loud in delight and strained my neck to see the gloaming dusk light, ribboned over the trees in soft glowing waves and covering the skies above all, in a purple hue.

My mare took the trail she knows so well, homeward. I was still gawking over my shoulder when she took a turn, and I almost took the opposite direction! I could not help it...I kept stealing peeks over my shoulder, the whole way back!

She was soo happy- and you know How I know?? She "High Blows" at the walk!I adore hearing her do it and it is like my l o n g s i g h s , when we start to leave civilization, as I know it, and go into the forests where she lives now.

Have a good week all and I will catch you up next time, on some sandy shored- end of summer-times~

Reaching a Decision

Decisions in the past, about where to board, have been easy to make.

Good arena, with nice lighting and footing. Large stall with attached run or paddock. Field turnout . Conscientious handling, and a well maintained feeding program based on the horse's needs. Always making sure the weight, coat and attitude were correct. Sometimes trails available off the property, have been a plus too.

Asking for these and finding them, like I said, has been easy for me. Clackamas Co. is one of the most populated horse areas in Oregon.

BUT- ( and it is a big one too) The telling me what I want to hear, as part of the equation, I did NOT count on in the past, to be able to have me sign contracts and pay the money. That part= has rendered such turmoil for the mare and I, as I discovered that some folks do not portray the truth so well. In fact , the truths they thought to be offering were so askew; they were outright Lies.

All this said, I have been extremely happy in my current location. It has been a wonderful place to land after despairing times from ere mentioned- flip personalities. I have had my rough patches all summer...mostly due to no arena to train in and the development of a more "NAPPY"

attitude in Washashe toward working around the barn area. I have thought all summer that I would eventually leave, for an arena atmosphere. I have kept my eye out all summer long and visited and ridden in a few. Taken lessons from some pretty keenly trained women of stature in the horse community. Having had a few of those too(trainers)....

I like my trainers older with a nice human/horse savvy -that is not given to an attitude towards understanding and knowledge that is only privy for the ones they choose. They have been there and done that and the maturity in them allows them to be sensible people, without reproach.

I am on a waiting list for 3 stables and have been interviewing 2 others, of late. I need the stables to be in a certain area as my "Must Ride Mondays" riding partner has told me that if I remain in the area, she will pick me up for outings to trails, if the arena I choose has none. I love it!

I did this very thing for so many in then past, giving them times away from the arena and new trails by trailering them with me. It is MY turn now...God is good to share this gal with me, she lets me chip in for gas and we go, go, go...all over the countryside with our equine friends!

Back to the decision....I found a wonderful new stable near where I have taken some lessons. It was by mistake I found it...I was to interview at another and passed it up and saw this other one. Since I was early by an hour, I stopped in. The owners took me around themselves and I enjoyed them and the care they took building the stable. This arena is the most cleverly made, I have ever seen. Sitting on 70 acres and with a perfect view of Mount Hood, the footing alone cost $25,000. A cedar mix that has absolutely NO DUST! I tried to make some dust..and could not raise any! It is springy and spongy..only needs water once a mo. It is airy and open for light. 205 by 100. Yea, huge. Well...it really impressed me and some other aspects too like- my trainer comes there. They only have one other border for now as she raises and trains/sells warm bloods and keep pasture mostly for them.

Then, I went on to my actual interview, down the road. She is great and I trust her with mostly all aspects of boarding save 2. The fact that she told me that my mare would get "scratches" and the fact that she participates in, what I call ,a dangerous stable practice.

Many folks do this and maybe one of you reading does... too. I have been warned by my sister not to allow my mare to do it. She is the exception to any rule- horse, so I can NOT sign into this practice for she would be the one getting her hip "Knocked down", for going around a corner too tightly with speed. The practice is, you open the stalls and gates and they turn themselves in /out , with the feed ready in place.

I handed my riding partner a pros/cons list, last week, for the 2 stables. It would be for the winter only..a few months time. I would return to my lovely barn in the country again, come springtime. She looked them over and finally said, " I am going to recommend you stay put." "Oh", a bit surprised, I groaned. She then explained, "because the extra money you are going to spend, is your truck payment. I will come and get you twice a week, for rides and lessons." "OH!!!!", I then said.

So there you have it. With the help of some friends, I am sighing relief and have found since, that 2 other options are now available to me as well, staying put.

There is a new stable a quarter mile away(walking distance) that I arranged yesterday to ride into once in a while. They have put my other favorite footing in-Riversand-3-5 inches deep.

You do a light misting of water on that before your ride and you can draw in it with your horses hooves and track your progress of round and such!

The other barn is a bit farther...but on nicer winter days, I can ride there in 10 minutes warm up time and have it to myself -anytime..they built it for themselves, so competition for use- is Nil.

Decision made and mind settled! Whewwee...I feel good!

Feel the Ride

I have been dreaming of late~ And in my minds eye and my muscle memory, I feel a ride on my mare. It is a ride we will have in the future.


It is exciting and anticipated, comprised of all the times I have gotten the Connection to/with, my sweet mare.

The engagement as I think forward and up. She meets me in the air with a rising foreleg of trot.
We do a few 2o meter circles, every fourth stride in shoulder fore.
She accepts the invitation, as I leg yield to the wall, canter. Breathing out, moments later, and she does a downward transition. I then lightly massage the reins and she snorts out in acceptance and in roundness, reaches for more contact.

We Volte' at the small end of the arena from my core and focus, the mare and I talking silently. I pulsate with her step, my calf to her left barrel and step into my right stirrup..she moves over in yeild for 3 strides and as I pulsate with her gate my right calf and step into my left stirrup she then changes her crossover too.The praise is felt by my bay partner, her expression is lively and engaged. We are both looking ahead, my eyes are in soft focus as my fingers touch her wither. My breath is released, she slows....and then I sit up springy like, and she engages again, walking out. We gather and release her gait like this for a time then I shoulderfore around the short side into halt. She has trouble being straight at halt so we do curved ones and she likes straight again later.

We then serpentine the entire arena, down one side then the next. Her Bend and Tempo remains with my body. She accepts my weight into the inside stirrup and then evenly upon the both for a stride before I switch to the next inside stirrup. I tingle the outside rien a tad too before the change of direction as a ck for speed.We are both relaxed, she has a slight white lipstick enhancing her lips. We turn on the quarter line, leg yield to the wall, then pick up a canter again. As we come to the short side, we begin to spiral in on a 20 meter to 10m circle, prepping for a Canter Pirouette.

We are learning this and she is trying very hard. We then come down to a nice walk..this time she stays longer, instead of bunching up in anticipations. She sometimes does when she feels me stop moving slightly.Old habbits of the cowboy days of sliding stop.

A few minutes more and while we straighten out from a nice daisy chain on the long wall, she snorts and reaches farther . I release her, now in self carriage, as she trots lightly forward. She knows how pleased I am for her effort and attention. I count aloud 1...2...3...4 breathily so..she matches my ques to stay lofty and not rush . It is a very good day.

Walking together now, she is a happy mare and is with me still as I allow her to walk with the reins resting on her wither as I float my arms in the air like a plane. I turn my body to the left..she follows..to the right...likewise. Breathing out and closing my thighs slightly she halts. I dismount and release her girth. She follows me in a pattern as we walk and I stretch out a bit, her head near the ground as she does . I place my hand near her poll and we walk some more.


She has a happy relaxed look to her ears and eyes~ I am soo happy too!!!

At the end of the day

You guessed it....time for a quick ride around the forest lands and return home by head lamplight!

One thing my head lamp is teaching me...keep looking ahead UP!!!-do not slant your chin down...or the mare gets freaked by the strobe effect of light across her path...!

Local Gals Ride

I had planned to go with my PBO only, yet she is in for "the more the merrier".

I was almost ready to go last Monday, with my mare Washashe. I was feeling' pretty good about only going with my barn owner, as I have only gotten to ride the mare a very few times of late. She showed up with a friend, and though I know her..It made a bigger group. Then the gal that lives on the property showed up ...and she was invited...ooou- I was now wondering how this would be with a foursome group and a competitive mare-MINE!

Well, my PBO said to everyone, "lets all be mindful of everyone and if need be, we shall split the group." Okay...at ease again here.

It was so wonderful..my mare with her month off really showed me something about herself. One of those "What my mare has taught me" - Kinda lessons.

Though my time down was with much pain, wonderful blessings did ensue. The kind you don't plan , but only occur because you are stopped and available.

My mare's time down was so much in need. She got therapy and put out to pasture 24/7. She would run and buck and graze...like a horse needs to. She has been a dream since then and very relaxed.

We did lead the group, her fave position. But the huge-o-difference was.... She minded not how close the other horses were to her and had no evil eye/ bad behaviour. I chock it up to her knowing every horse.

We trotted and jumped logs and laughed our heads off!

The last ride of August...and the last of the sunny, cloudless days it appears. Rain, Rain has come to stay. It is Oregon and if you don't like change...this place is not for you!

I personally dig on change. Happy trails friends!

My old riding buddy

As of the the month of August, the Local managed forest lands have been closed. It has not happened in years..but this year we have had some long stretches of hot weather. Normally, here in Oregon, we get rain at least every other week, if not some every week. Even if it's the overnight showers, that so nicely clear the air and make it smell fresh again. Not this summer!

I was NOT riding much at all in August, due to my crash and it bothered me not that the lands were closed. Recently, I have wanted to ride the lands again, so I rang up the local land manager . He was not really willing to budge...even for a barefooted horse. Though he said that they could not enforce it and many would still be going through the trails. It is already illegal for motorized vehicles and shooting, hunting and campfires. All it leaves is us Equestrians and the hikers and mountain bikers.

While out on the trail with my Friend last Friday, the horse started to neigh...not ours but my phone's ringer! It was an old riding buddy.

I normally do not catch any calls-on purpose while riding- but this was a friend I had not heard from in a long while. He wanted to schedule a ride..we did for the next day, at my place. I called around some more and found that BLM land banked up to all the Port Blakely lands around us. They have NOT closed thier lands. I made sure to pass through the P.B. lands that had no signs up(less guilt) and we rode to the BLM lands.


His neato horse Quincy is now 6. He spotted him in a field one day and drove up the driveway and asked if he were forsale. He was. He bought him within weeks, and started his groundwork training. He had had 3 horses before Quincy and they had some training issues(like Mine...(wrongly mishandled and now sour to work) He desired to train his own horse, instead of buying others problems. We met through the Christain Trailriders Fellowship almost 4 years ago and have been riding together ever since.
Sometimes I ride Jag, His QH. While I was in a barn that had trails my second year of horse ownership, he'd come every weekend with me. My Wa mare loved to lead and his 4year old Quincy would not...perfect match till Quicny got bolder and my friend would then take off on us...made for a crappy ride and after a few rides like that...I vowed not to ride my mare with him again.


I still keep the vow...I rode Danny!





Okay..he is really a nice looking man but...he took his helmet off saying, "So I won't look like a dork" he explained...then he looks like a DORK anyway! Weirdo face!!!
Sometime...I will tell some of the really fun stories of our riding heyday back when I was a bit more fearless. I found out he nicknamed me "Wildwoman". Tee hehe!

Nice times...are soon to come to an end though. He just took a Job in Rockwall Texas and is to move the 27th of September. We have a few more rides scheduled, then He's off!

On the Horse Again

Let me tell ya friends-it is soooo nice to be back in the saddle again! In fact, I have had a run-on-riding, since Friday last.


My "Must Ride Monday's"partner and her Mustang Cazi, came to pick me up last Friday. The weather was partly cloudy and perfectly mild. We set out for a new place-Oxbow Park.

This is the "Blocker Tie Ring" configuration I use...it is handy...you can move it anywhere there is a tie ring, including inside the trailer.
My friend sends her horses inside the trailer and they stand, untied, and never even rush to get out when the door or divider is opened.

I found out though----this was NOT always the case. This very Mustang that calmly gets into the trailer now and stands calmly by, used to take up to 45 minutes and tears to get in. She has worked and worked with him and he trusts her judgment now. Both of her horses do. I really like not having to tie the horse, but Wa mare and I are not there. She, being the anticipatory mare she is- would turn around lickity split!


We began the ride high above the river, traversing down and down.

High above the Sandy River Delta.Cazi and his partner take in the sights.

The view was quite a beaut! You walk down quite a decline trail with large rails that border it for safety sake. I walked the mare by hand, as she hates the pressure of the downhill on her back and shoulders. In fact, there are some white hairs for the downhill pressure because we do it so much. I am not anymore, she is too sensitive for it, I have discerned...and am treating the area with "Calm coat" it soothes and grows normal hair back. We arrived down at the river's edge and the horses enjoyed the cool water while walking to the bigger flow of things. And ya'll know what happened after we got into the river...Wa decided to"Go-with-the-Flow!"

It was a wonderful new outing and Washashe was very excited about it all, from the start. She kept an eye on me the entire time I was getting ready, that morning...even though she had her grain and hay..she'd stop surprizingly, and come to the stall door,peer over it to make sure I was not leaving with out her! I loved that! So, I have learned...give her tons of time off, and she really wants to go with me anywhere!

The trail head had a large barrier to keep out motorized bikes and normal bikes with a 6 ft wide 30 inch tall wood boudary. ...She jumped it at my request and off we went! The only part of the trip she disliked were the rather large round river rocks. She would stop and turn around and ask again..."really, must we keep on this way?!"


NOTE TO EILEEN DEAR! Next time you come from Africa to Oregon...You will be going on a riding adventure with us! Better start to plan...I am!