OH...I have really been dreaming about ..a lone ride...just me and the mare!
The start of our venture out was pretty, weedy flowers, all over and under us!
This summer has been so busy, with riding plans with others...I have truly MISSED my lone ventures with Wa mare~
I actually dreamed of our ride yesterday- the night before...trying to remember the route I wished to ride backwards, since I have not done this particular one alone or in the direction I was thinking of.
It is the "Stoney Mountain loop", I did with my PBO on Danny and Romeo, while there was still snow on the ground up there.
That was April..and I have Not been around the loop since.
So I leisurely got Washashe mare ready.. she seemed very happy to be chosen to go, since I take my sissy's mare, Pantz, often now.
My man has been gone to Alaska for the past 2 weeks time with his Army band regiment. So I have been really horsin', as you know! He come home today...so I thought I better take my LONG ride now and around home.
The mare was excited and wanted to trot and canter...I let her do whatever..and we got up to the second clearing site, on the 900 foot accent, pretty quickly!
I allowed the mare to graze and catch her breath..she was in such a hurry...the air was scarce.
It is normally a 4 hour trip...lets see what we do this time??
Now you see her....
...and...
..now, you don't!
I think all the work it takes to come up here, her carrying my butt..she appreciates the bites of mountain grasses!
She got sticky a bit when we entered the woods here...but then, decided it was cooler in there..and we had a good " fern path" ride.
One thing that can happen when filming though...you'll see...the rouge foliage can gang up on you!
We almost took a wrong turn. If I had looked at the photo's from the first trip( linked in post) I would have seen - what road to take .
As it was, I started to take the wrong road, then decided to go down, and It was correct!
Whew...Okay here is where I totally understand what JANE Augenstein means by "FLIES FROM HELL"
We were just moseying down the back roads( out in the open) that leads to trails and more roads on our 7 mile journey, around the mountain loop.
I could hear and see, a few of the nasty flies buzzing the mares head..I had a branch-swatter in hand, for this purpose..I was swinging it around my body and her head in a figure 8 fashion...it seemed to work at keeping them at bay. TILL....OUCHY- CRAP-OLA!
I had been focusing on the mare..and they snuck up behind me and 3 of them lit upon my back!!!
All at once, they bit me, and I yelled out!
The mare leapt into action...trotting down the hill now..we left them behind!
Holy Mole...I still felt like they were there...so I swatted my own back for a time...like 20 minutes! My arm hurts pretty badly today, from over use.
We finally got to the final push hill...I was going to get off and have Wa mare pull me up from behind, with her tail...but, she decided to canter up- the entire-rather steep-long hill!
We walked together on down the hill homeward..she was a pooped out pony~
I really loved spending time with this Mare -O- Mine!
She was perfectly willing and able to spend the afternoon gallivanting the hillsides with me.
Here is the new time for the Stoney Mountain Loop.
3 hours! She and I did stop quite a few times but..that is a great time for the 900 foot climb, and decent we did!
Love you Wa mare!
Have your gooey, sloppy Beet pulp with added Salt electrolytes- I prepared for you before we left!
OOOU what a treat she says!!
What a fun read. I could love Wa Mare too.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you and the Wa mare had a great time today. (Except for the nasty biting flies). I'll bet you both sleep good tonight. Thanks for the ride along, I always love your adventures.
ReplyDeletegreat story. Your mare sounds wonderful. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteoh great times!! Thanks for the video! I love how Wa-mare is always ears forward and moving! She does listen to you - slight ear swivel =)
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your man being home!
~Jeni
Thanks for the adventure! It was great to come along and enjoy it with you. Well done Wa mare.
ReplyDeleteoh hahahaha just loved the little video clips. Were you lost or what going through those ferns ....I was lost watching. Sorry to hear the flies were a pain. My sister in Australia would sympathise. They get terrible flies. We dont get too many !. Its nice to hear that you and Wa mare are having quality time together.
ReplyDeleteTwo suggestions for you and your horse: Konk fly spray and off sport. Both on you and the horse and you'll be fine. Indigo almost had a meltdown the other day because of so many bugs by our bush.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you got to ride your Wa by yourself. I like to ride by myself too, but then that's how I ride most of the time anyway.
ReplyDeleteEvery thing I have tried won't keep the horse flies away, even the Konk fly spray. I have searched the internet and read and read but there isn't anything that will kill or keep these monsters off you. I will just have to wait it out until they are gone.
right now it's HOT and HUMID and I don't want to be outside at all.
So glad you have such nice riding weather!
Love your Wa mare, such a good girl she is. Many more good rides to you!!!
hugs...
jane
Terry~
ReplyDeleteYou can love her from there..I will send it to her via an extra carrot today!
Grey Horse~
I am glad that you came along for the adventure too! Yea..need a plan of attack on those dratted flies..we are not going to be stopped now!
Carol~
She can be pretty cool for her TB self!
Jeni~
hehe...year, very sleight ear swivel!
Thanks for the well wishes for my man and I...we are having fun being reunited!
Cheyenne~
Thanks so much...yea, we have fun rides..like you do too!
Sally~
Those "ferny obscured" trails are what developed my mare top line so nicely with out an arena! She has to really LOOK/SEE where the heck is the trail!
I sure LOVE your New Loverly Grey mare, too!
Sidney~
will look into those...thanks
Jane!
I know that many folks ONLY get to ride alone. And I have not always had riding faithful or available partners..but I always cherish my solo rides on this mare..it is how we began our partnership 4 years ago... just us 2, learning each other.
I hope you and your Gilly horse may get out there soon...and maybe styling in a nice NEW RED trailer to your local arena and riding mentor too!
A lot of mare loving going around lately! Gosh mares are great aren't they?
ReplyDeleteYour area of the country looks so beautiful! I just envy all your pictures.
What a great ride. The fern path looks so peaceful and cool. Can you even see a path in there?!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog. I do miss my guy and I do hope Mr. Country Cowboy is doing right by him. MCC seems to truly love working horses and has a soft way about him. I love how he gets tickled by my silly boy's antics.
LOL about your fern video, haha. And so sweet how she's just walking beside you downhill. She really deserved the 'what we call slobber'. Our horses make exactly the same noises when we treat them with slobber ;-)
ReplyDeleteI love the videos
Isn't it funny how hard it can be to do trails backwards? Even ones you've done tons of times before! I can't count how many times I've gotten lost. Good think my old guy Alexandre could always find his way home. I don't know about Jasper, we would probably be lost in the woods until we were eaten by coyotes.
ReplyDeleteAren't those lone rides the best? I think it's the only time I come close to meditation.
I love WaMare too!
ReplyDeleteI hate beet pulp, though! Yuck.
I know, I know I didn't have to try it!!!
xo, misha
Enjoyed my ride with you today and didn't mind the rough foliage or flies at all! I like beets, too, but I'm not sure about the pulp... Love Wa's braids.
ReplyDeleteI loved the videos. Kind of lets me get my fix for horseback riding.
ReplyDeleteYour fly story reminded me of a time when I was a kid and riding in Lincoln City with my mom and aunt and we had to outrun an angry warm of bees, ah good times:)
ReplyDeleteI love this post of you and your Wa alone. Riding alone is really wonderful - just you and your horse. What a great horse you have KK! I love the video of her walking alone and you saying "Good Girl" at the end! She is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteYour Wa mare is so beautiful. Sometimes she makes me want to get an OTTB....
ReplyDeleteLong rides, with just you and your horse can be relaxing-minus the biting flies part...lol!!! :)
PS-Thanks for checking in on me. I am still around, just kind of held hostage by my kidlets...teeheehee.
Nasty flies! I'm sorry they hurt you. Good mare Wa to help you escape from the flies.
ReplyDeleteApache is allergic to fly sprays. How about that?! She gets welts and blisters. It's scary. I'm glad our flies haven't been to bad, especially the biting flies, but I wish I could find something to give her relief from them pestering her.
The photos were all wonderful, as were the videos. The fern path looks as if there is no path. Were you bushwacking a trail through there? Such beauty in all the soft green. Wa looked to have enjoyed herself as much as you did.
Naughty rogue plants though. I hate when they go on the attack.
lol!
I'm glad you both enjoyed such a great ride.
~Lisa