Sunday Stills Textures

Ed  Prescot, the motivator, has chosen "TEXTURES" for this weeks photo challenge. I tuned in late to find out- and had planned a solo trail ride...I invite you to come along-through the textures of preparing in the stable and riding on the trail. Have fun, I sure did, thinking of you all going with me!

Firstly, I prepared my mare's stall with these~

I wet them down and waited for this....

then this, to happen.

Then, I brushed the mare till she was clean and shiny, like this

She was a bit fidgety so I picked up this, then all was calm again.

so I petted her here and she lowered her head

I was hungry and heated this up to munch

The mare happily ate this

I then prepared and placed the tack on my mare...this really has been a great addition for non-slip riding

more tack

 Then finally we set off through these damp beauties

Many of these had fallen across the trails, so I dismounted many times to move them

Though it is not spring yet, some of these had crept across the trails. We dislike them.

This, I am not sure of what it could be...it appears on the tops of the clearcut stumps and is very bright

The mare was in charge of what trail we headed down...and she chose unwisely this surface,the way back, as it is shorter.

We made it home before dark and I was very satisfied with the ride.

To see many more Textural views-CLICK the title!

Visit a friend

FROM MY FRONT PORCH IN THE MOUNTAINSHas always been a delightful blog to visit a beautiful hearted woman and her endearing lifestyle .( Misha)She has offered whomever is a" follower" of her lovely blog and a" facebook" fan, to enter a giveaway to win a pair of well made ARIAT boots.
By clicking the TITLE of this post or her name at the beginning of it- you may go a visiting and be enchanted for yourself...and enter the drawing~should you wish to.

Have a wonderful FRIDAY into weekend all!
Yours truly,
KK

Sepia Scenes whispering mare

Trim time and my mare always seems to participate by looking on over my work. She always stands very well for these times.

This was not a sepia photo originally so, but I do like it better this way.

 To enjoy many more SEPIA SCENES please CLICK the title!

Yummy Fleece

I set out on my local ride to try out something my siss had left for me. A "Lami Cell" saddle pad. Since her Western saddle prooved to not fit her mare and I have always had problems with a slipping saddle on our many hilly trails. She went ahead and left it for me. It looks like a brand-for a logo, and I'd like it to come down 2 inches longer, to protect the entire saddle flap ..but.... IT DID NOT SLIP this day, as we searched for my sisters lost, blue polo wrap.

Sorry to not take a pic of the unique and soft antimicrobial material that has contact with the horses back. It is waffle like. I also am going to check into GREY HORSE MATTERS girth that promotes ease in movement for the horse and, as she mentioned, non slipping features as well.

I also was trying out a NEW BLACK FLEECE seat cover...It was YUMMY feeling, as I rode!

AND...yup..Wa mare got to try out her new Shadow Roll fleece nose band.

Awe KK girl...you take entirely too many photos!

We rode to the old barn next door looking....

Then down to the pond looking.....And There she was...a  water sogged, blue polo wrap!

The Velcro had just given up! And with our riding weather being soggy and filled with creek crossings...not a good choice for the legs! I suggested some nice WoffWear all terrain wraps, like I have for Wonder Wa..the LOGO WW fits us fine!

We then took a longer ride away from our property line..Wa can't focus on me well, thinking she may turn towards home at any second! So we crossed the creek and went up a field  and down a driveway to another large tree farm. She was very good and when we hit this mossy area..I was taken with how pretty it was under her Mahogany bay color..of course, had to take a pic!

All went well; though Wa mare has area's she gets uppity about. Areas near the woods and by a house, where a dogs runs out and jumps in the air, behind the little trees to see us. She mostly was calm this day. Then...all of a sudden, she got high headed and wanted to bolt sideways. I turned her and retried the same path, on the edge of the wood homeward...she stopped dead and I kept telling her..all is good while I sang a little calming tune.

Then- POP- out of the woods was a Man! And he had a Machete! It was weird  folks...my mare heard him while I was trying to console her..she was telling me he was there, whacking the bushes beyond view!

Humbled again...

We drank Tea

While my sissy  was here, we drank tons of  tea. We'd go to Starbucks and get an Earl Grey Latte' and then later, while at the stable, we'd boil up some water in my handy dandy electric tea kettle and revive our original drinks.

There is something about tastes(smells and sounds) that can take you to a time of special memory. When you taste the thing you had while doing something wonderful, or hear the song, or smell some aroma ...you are TRANSPORTED  to the time ere now.

I am having Tea NOW, as I write this...it feels comforting!

Yesterday...in the pouring rain, my sissy prepared herself to beat it back home to the coast. The mares were happily inside their stalls, during a down pouring day...we were busy loading the truck,trailer, trailer tack room-with ALL THE STUFF- my sister brought. She DOES NOT pack light! When we'd made some more tea for ourselves and done the deed of packing up all.....

I took My mare outside this time...to see what effect it would haver on her; to see Pantz loaded in the trailer.

Washashe stood in the rain...wondering and watching. She seemed to know, I would not be asking her to load after Pantz. Unfortunately, Pantz was surprised by Wa mare not getting inside after her. She began to paw and paw...making it a tearful time for the both of us sisters....knowing that the mares were so happy together.

Shutting the door, we hugged goodbye and watched them pull out of our driveway and begin the near 3 hour journey homeward.

I have to tell you all that THIS TIME...my siss did come over to my house and got on the internet. She pulled up the job opening listings for our area, in her field of work. It gave to me hope that she'd follow through this time.

Our Mom needs her here. Mom fell one day, while we were riding..twisted her ankle, and went down.  She took her to the hospital and all was well, but she needed to stay off her ankle.

I normally do everything for mom and to have help would be great.

My mare was very inquisitive, watching her lead mare leave...she did not whinny, she did not pull at the rope...she just stood there with me, staring at them leaving....till finally, we lost sight.

I was blubbering and the mare was extra calm...returning to her dry stall. I decided to leave her in her open stall to run set up this day. She was satisfied with hay and I readied to leave for home...totally no-desire to ride.

 I checked all the commons areas my sister had used, making sure nothing was left behind.....and as I walked through Pantz's stall to the paddock and back again...OH!  It was like she was still there...her wet hoof print remained on the rubber mat!!!

Goodbye sweet Pantz mare.... until next time~ will love you and sis from afar

Horseback sisterhood

The last 14 days of riding with my sister has meant everything to me!

There were many weather challenges for us. And as I have discovered...for many of you out there too...it is January-wintertime in the U.S.

Bless your heart MINDY AND JACKSON <> Your Post inspired me..though in a lonely hearted FUNK, to post of the past 14 days with my sis.

We rode in the rain down the road~

Our soggy horses enjoyed each other as much as we did...Wa mare always keeping "An Ear" towards her lead mare.

Smiles began to appear on my sissy's face...shinning up a grey and sogged riding day~

We both had our oilskin dusters on for this wet ride~

My sissy is very much a leather die-hard...BUT...after our first ride out in the soggy brush; she soon took me up on the Synthetic Bridle (above) I offered her. It did make getting home after a ride much faster. The first time she had to clean her tack and oil it, right after the ride, made a synthetic believer out of her..in fact...she came on home and ordered one online through Schneiders Saddlery - like this one below~

The reins are rubber as well.

It will make her beach rides(she lives there) a breeze too...as the salt can really do a number on leather!

We sisters rode in the highWIND as well...the coast was getting 70 MPH storms...we'd get back lashes. So in Order to ride at all this time...we had to choose wisely.
I choose the place I rode last year, as the EMERGENCY BROADCAST SYSTEM went off -sounding the alarm for tornado warnings -for those listening to radio- I was out here, sheltered from it all!

It was a good ride and handy too. We  drive 2 mi and park in a Private Drive of a friend near the trail head.

One day,we did some mountain road riding into NEW Territories....up and up and up  the roads......

 Then, Down Roads....

Seeing the odd and out of the norm SALE properties -wayyyy the heck out there!
This one, uninhabitable!

We reached a mountain top and oowed and awed... as we spied  3 white caped mountains...not that I could get them to show up on film.. very grey day~

Returning to the trailer, then home again~

A day off or two  for inclement conditions out-then a break in the weather for a last ride....Next door on Tree farmer chuck's land~

Down to the pond and around the mossy footed trails we went, unbooted for a change. It was a delight to not boot up. After 4 booted rides...we both needed a break!

This day was the FIRST to see a speck of bright and some blue in the skies!

Pantz and Washashe mare were full of beans...3 days off ( I had to work) So we just walked on the slickery ground and enjoyed our time together. It was our last ride before she had to leave .

Somehow, my sissy's leg wrap came undone and we lost one...I noticed it missing before we headed across a creek. She said the Velcro was weak...Now I have a mission tomorrow...go find the wrap!

Into the Mist

My sissy's arrival over a week ago was wonderful...I prayed for non freezing travel for this January visit.

I got the call she was in Canby at 4pm...so I rushed back to town to meet her. Then escort her out of the city and into the countryside, where I board. She gets lost easily, you see.

Pulling up...the hazy end of the day was bright for unloading.

Pantz shared the large 3 horse trailer with her 2 weeks of hay~

She settled rather quickly with her best friend mare-Washashe- though, Wa was hilarious...turning her butt to the fence between them, appearing to not care!

Wa giving Pantz the cold Butt!!

So begins my sissy's stay.....Misty, foggy , rainy, and windy stay!

The horses really were wonderful..and easily settled into routine...we only let one horse into thenext door open stall for the next few days as Pantz settled in. The other lead mare, Panna, can be rather aggressive.

Dentisty day followed(previous post) and then came the good stuff!!

Massage and therapy!

Miriah showed us how to gently massage the jaw for healing, after the dentistry~

Good news!

My mare had no irregular or painful area's of her body...A first!

Wa mare really enjoyed this session...closing her eyes and just standing after... her usual routine of moving around.

Pantz was good too...she remembered Miss Miriah.

 It was nice to see her enjoy the attention and soothing touch of the specialist~

AND...I almost got a Western Saddle!!!

Charlie cat looking on the events with the lovely "Crates" barrel saddle behind him. It is only 2 years old.

But the unfortunate thing is; Pantz has a larger shoulder and simply padding the saddle to fit her meant too tight

Alas...it did not fit my mare either...DRAT!

Wa mare looking on...while Pantz gets her session ...this proved to be the best part of the 2 weeks...for weather~ Uggg

Riding in January,for the intrepid horseman, comes next...see you all soon to catch up!