Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Down a Notch

Wa in her private woods, in paddock run
I've been taken down, with the sickie-icks. Wind taken from my sails.
My man had it last week. I thought I'd been careful , though not stopping for a moment, kept  myself busy- busy! So this week has been rough. I am TEA-PEE"d about out, and taking everything under the sun, you name it, (natural stuffs)I am taking it! Last night resorted to a O.T.C.D.(over the counter drug)of which I hate the commercials for. You know,  the one with the little- GROSS- green, blobbie people that live in your body when you have a cold. It helped I have to say, but I am still home today, Raw throat, dry hacks and no voice.

I have gotten to the stable, against my better judgment, every day. All bundled up and suckling a rather large "KOMBUCHA" drink each time. While I don't drink them every day, I CRAVE them, when my body is low.
One nicer day, I actually rode out. Again, not so wise a move. But I needed a change of atmosphere and thought the mare could use an outing , to stretch her legs . 
She was standing in the run. (pic above)  She appeared to be keeping tabs on her two favorite Lead mares, Maddy and Zee, as they were munching hay, in the outback field. She nibbled hay a little too, and I went inside to set up our tack for the ride.
I allowed her a good roll in the soft arena to loosen up, then we headed out soon after.

The Big Woods  of managed forestry lands across the street, is where I thought to go this day. Haven't been there since last October. Two reasons: #1 Too muddy, slick, boggy
(that's  all one really) for the injury she had.  #2 Logging.

SEPT 2012 Clear cut road into Canyon Creek forest

Last October we both were surprised to find a new clear cut road, right through a gorgeous wooded area we ride. It's trail I called "Canyon Creek" trail. You could really only travel it during the driest times of the season for it's very steep decent down to a creek, then up again just as steeply, to the other side of the canyon. The mare did not like the trail much, but we'd concur it once or twice a summer. It was full of wildlife and HUGE trees that could tell stories about times gone by, if they could talk. They always talked "restful peace and beauty" to us, as we rode through them.


October 2012 Graveled Road through Canyon Creek forest
 By October, there was a substantial amount of base rock laid for large logging trucks. I knew this would probably be a winter job, since they got the piles of rock laid so thickly and quickly. When the mare and me couldn't ride out at all...I had no idea what was to be-when we finally did!

I took the less traveled trail, then went though the most recent clear cut slash trail, to this road. 


I saw that illegal vehicles had made a whole new way around the gate, and that was discouraging. It is posted clearly at the PORT BLAKELY  gated lands; that fires, unauthorized vehicles, along with hunting and shooting -are prohibited.
 As we rode along, We spied many fires had been set last fall/winter. Never have I seen so many... the scorched grounds were everywhere, with garbage and wood objects the offenders brought in to burn.      This endangers the whole forest, not to mention private property and homes that bank right up to these forests! There has been a lack of management, I have noticed over the years I have ridden the lands. Not for lack of reports, friends of mine and myself do report gates crashed and down, dump sites with couches and appliances.  Makeshift shooting ranges, open fire spots under the trees, gun shell casings ,beer bottles and cans strewn about.
Simply discouraging. And the roughest patch is that I have been asked to call authorities, with the GPS setting...and I have. Nothing. "Big Wind" is what I call that, and it stinks too!
Anywho...that is a rant that NEVER goes away for me...so I better move on.
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Though the road and some of the trail had been trashed and harrowed by illegal vehicle passage, the main  loop trail was too narrow for them to use. It was actually pristine!
 Not even last winter did it look like this. Flat, almost dry and nice. I only saw 2 sets of hoof prints!
 So many riders like myself last year, continued to ride all winter long on it.  This time last year., it was a bloody mess as normal. WOW, I was amazed, but I also thought  OF WHY!
Yup, Loggging. There would have been NO RIDING with all that.
All gone, it was completely gone!

Only a few large trees remain of Canyon Creek trail

Wa mare and me stood there for quite sometime... just staring.
We heard the voices of some of the loggers, farther away.
While the mare was not at all pensive or hesitant about riding along the trail we normally canter during the summer, I was In SHOCK!


Though a renewable resource for Oregon, I shall miss my tree friends, that had given me years of peaceful, blissful riding times.


Stunned by the enormity of how many were taken, the mare looked this way.....................



 ............................and then, that way............................




We finally were able to move away from the demolished site, to another greatly wooded area. It did  offer us refuge for the soul, as we traveled it's large evergreen shaded paths. Once at it's end, I dismounted. The mare pointing the way home as I photographed her. I loosened her girth, and the wrap began to pull it back I see, but it bothered not .


 I walked down the slick  trail with it's bogged and badly rutted  creek bottom. It has never recovered from the trail riding atrocity it sustained last spring, with a organised group  ride. 
 I minded not the walk to higher, dryer grounds along side the mare. She snorted relief at not having to negotiate the trail with me, having my own opinion(differing from hers) on traveling speed and route. This way she just followed behind me and chose her own footing calmly. 


A Double Rolling day!

Though we were out only over an hour, and traveled less than 5 miles...we both were beat. Wa asked to roll again, I availed her.
We'd seen so much and with me being not well, whew! Which is why I can even post this today...no work or play for this girl.

What a day, thanks my mare! You're my Wonder Wa . 
Enjoy your time off now! See you when I'm well again~


21 comments:

  1. Feel better - the winter crud is the worst! And thanks for taking us along with you and your mare on your trail expedition!

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  2. Take a rest and get well. It's a shame about the illegal vehicles and garbage dumped. They really should do something about that but it's hard to get those in power to care I suppose. It's always sad to see the old trees go down its seems like losing a piece of history to me. Feel better. Wa is so cute in the pics.

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  3. Praying for complete wholeness and a new dawning day! Great pics of Wa... love how you tell a story... yeah... the downed trees are a grueling site.... I can imagine how you and Wa felt at this site.. :(

    take extra care

    Patrina <")>><

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  4. So sorry you are feeling poorly.
    I'm sorry about the trees too. It seems so sad, those grand trees cut down.

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  5. I think I've got the same creeping crud--hope you feel better soon!
    Lovely photos of Wa, despite the logging devastation. It's amazing how that equipment can obliterate the landscape, changing to completely. Like you, I'd miss the trees--the shade, the sound of the wind in them, the smells. Probably smells like pitch out there now. The forests appear to be mostly softwoods. Hope you find some quiet, pristine woods (without human detritus) to ride in next time.

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  6. Sorry about your cold. We get the same ad, over here, the one with the green man on the persons back. Anyway, I know how you feel about the trees disappearing it is a loss. But you had a good ride.

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  7. Years ago I flew over Oregon and was totally shocked by how large patches of the forests were removed by loggers. I said that in another few years the mountains will be naked and shivering. My husband and I are down for the count too. Whatever viruses are going around at the moment are hard to escape.

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  8. It seems to be going around- and rest seems to be the only fix.

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  9. You know, I never understood the logging and it made me really depressed to see it- until I spent some time with an ex-logger in Oregon. We'd be driving around and he'd point to a hillside full of dead trees. "You see that? Disease ridden fire traps, if we'd been allowed to log that there'd be a healthy forest there now." Meeting him really changed the way I look at logging. So long as they leave the healthy old growth alone and plant trees to replace what they've cut I don't have a problem with them. Yes, they're cutting down habitat, but it gets replaced- unlike when homes and sub-divisions are built. And growing trees suck up more CO2 than older ones.

    Feel better.

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    Replies
    1. I'm some areas, they circle the boundary trees in orange, and select cut around other orange marked trees. The old growth it's usually marked.
      Not the car lately, all of it goes,30 year old trees and 50+ ones too. Saad!
      I understand, renewable, healthy, smart....but clear cut is raunchy!

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  10. Yes Kacy, it is shocking to view such magnificent trees being removed at such a fast rate. I cry often times when I see beautiful forests removed almost in their entirety...but as you said, they are a renewable resource, and reforestation is better than suburbs. Change is our only real constant in life it seems. You are so blessed to have those areas to ride every day, so very blessed to be so close to those forests and all that beauty and privacy. We are fairly close, but always have to trailer to get there, and it's just not the same. What is that contraption you had on your mare's behind? Does that help control her movement from sliding behind or something??? Thanks for visiting my blog and for your wonderful comment. I don't have a smart phone, but would love to get one and have that app for nutritional guidance and tracking. Maybe soon. Yes, my Eagle is a VERY stout boy. He stands only 15.2 hands, but is surely a tank in his build. Hubba hubba!! He has a huge heart and is the most loving horse I've ever known. We are making progress, but not as quickly as I'd like. This is entirely my fault, as I have such time constraints and fear issues. Wish I had someone to be there for guidance, for that would help. We do what we can. The new mare hopefully will help me with my fear issues and eventually tie in with my work with Eagle. My hope is to rebuild my confidence, so that I may be a reliable and secure leader for Eagle. For, he NEEDS that above all else. Love you Kacy, please take care and get well soon!

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  11. Hi Kacy,
    Loved riding with you today in the winter forest. Wa seems to be wearing a new contraption (red) - hope she is OK. As for you, have you tried emergen-C 2x a day and also Manuka honey (organic and very healing) mixed with organic raw apple cider I use Braggs (2tsp of both) in filtered water? Also can put into tea. Get well soon!

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    Replies
    1. Oh yes, you wise sage you...Organic ACV and honey tea..get this..WITH EmergenC in it too!

      I also found 2 new helps for the sickie-icks that I believe helped shorten, or lesson, the effects of my crud.
      #1 "UMCKA cold care" by nature's way and #2 "Counter Attack" by Rainbow light.

      That is in between the tea and the" Collodial Silver" and Zink tabs.
      Oh, I shouldn't forget the (nasty tasting) Source naturals "Wellness, Herbal Resistance Liquid". I put a couple drops into the tea mix too...and more honey to wash it down with!

      I've been hip to Organic ACV Honey tea for some time. A 90 year old, from church, SWEARS by it (not really swears!) !!
      One thing i know is it gives you incredible energy...even if your sick. And it is a diuretic, so have to drink more water, or you'll get leg cramps.

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    2. Ha! I can't teach you anything! My 10 year old granddaughter was reading your blog tonight before dinner. I told her I know a "horse lady" who writes a blog, and she begged to see. She is HORSE crazy - takes riding lessons once a week but doesn't have her own horse. She rides a pretty little horse named Flower. Hope you're better by now!

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    3. OH! Love that your GD is reading! You'll have to point me to the post(if there is one) of her and Flower!
      I did turn a corner on Friday(then worked catch up for 12 hours!) and Sat 4 hours...but all is good...feel like a new gal again, 98% better.

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  12. Feel better KK!! Thanks for sharing your ride with us. Hugs to you and lovely Wa mare. :D

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  13. I enjoyed the ride! Those clear cuts are a bother, but trees will grow again. The nose shot at the end is wonderful! Thanks for dropping in.

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  14. It would be fun to meet up Kacy! I couldn't find your email address, so here is mine. If you send me a note, then I'll have yours.
    cingspots@hotmail.com
    Lorie
    oh, had my first Kombucha last night. It was delicious!! My neighbor's own brew. Kookoolan Farms Old World Meadery or something like that. I loved it!! They have their own website too, that's the organic farm across the street from us.

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    Replies
    1. OH! How very cool to have the organics so near. Your Kombucha, sounds way better than mine I buy. But like I said...for me it tastes good when my body asks for it!

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  15. Hope you feel better soon Kacy, we've had the usual winter bugs here! Spring's nearly here now, so looking forward to warmer weather. I don't know what Kombucha is, but it sounds yummy! How dreadful that they've chopped down all those trees!

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  16. Wow! Those logging pictures are sad to view. You have a beautiful area in which to ride your Wonder Wa (love that name). I'm sorry others are using the land illegally and not respecting it. Get well soon.

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