Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Muds Of March

Coming  soon,  as the weather (we want this) warms, to your fields and trails and destinations!!



I'm happy about the Mud, don't get me wrong. It means the temps have risen, the WINDS have died down, now  allowing the frozen grounds of the area to thaw .
There is  the residual "dirty snows" on the sides of the road,  I saw yesterday as we trailered away to a local park to ride with a friend.    MUST RIDE MONDAYS!!    YEA!
I was homeward bound, after the ride yesterday, and the rains began to pelt the windshield,
 as if  perfectly timed for the drive home and NOT the ride we had.
Don't ya love those moments when you feel smiled upon and the timing is ordered perfectly~for pleasure.
?!
I suddenly thought of  the camera......-I HAD LEFT IT AT THE PARK on a picnic table!! HORROR- flashed in me, as I had not only lost my camera, but 2 sd cards worth of photos, a knife my husband has given to me, and the most perfect camera bag in the world..having survived 3 loose horse jaunts and -100's of hours worth of riding as it kept my camera from all harm!
I quickly called my Riding friend. She had just  told me of all the things she needed to accomplish  in the remaining  hours of this day we did "Steal Back"  from winter to ride.
She sighed, as I frantically asked her to drive back to the horse park for my camera.  She would. I prayed, as all the photo friends/memeories flashed before my eyes and also, the photography job another friend had arranged for me soon. My chance at making  some money for the NEW saddle, now looked to be over.

She not only found it, but she soon realised more had been left.  Some  other riders had picked my Camera-in-bag up and were waving it at her as she searched the table area.
They also had her empty camera bag and  nice gloves!
WHEW'  , I was"one blessed girlie" she said!  I'm feeling it!

That was a side story for today,  I have a  "A HA"
moment and story that goes with the photo's in my camera, now safely staying at my friends house.
So now I continue with MUDD......a  March ride that was a time before~




The mare looking dejected,before some lunge line time. Maddy Moo looking on behind her,in the small trunout~

















We did a little warm up session both directions
for 3-5 minutes in the sand out door and then went on down the trail..to see WHAT  we would see. There has been MUCH logging lately and the mare and me, we have opted not to try for a ride with the large machines running. It kind of kills the serenity and also safety of the ride,  as the large Dumpy's don't slow for horses they aren't looking out for on a one way road.

FOR THOSE THAT ARE NEW here....This  Pacific Northwest area has thousands, if not millions, of Forested lands that are private and governmental owned. We Equestrians either get permission from the private owners to access the lands via horseback, or the Land managers grant us permission via signage,  posted at entrances.
It is a privilege to ride these areas and the logging does come with the territory .
 "Oregon's Renewable Resource" is what they call it. These parts, have been logged and reforested many times over...and the local signs I read say...that it has been about 30 years. RIPE for the harvest. The harvesting makes new riding opportunities for us too...more graveled roads. I don't have a shod horse so it means a bit less riding for me.
Hoof boots come in handy for the graveled parts, when I don't have to go through any mud.
 Hoof boots in muddy soupy stuff- that's a NO GO! They fill up and stretch and then, come off or twist, making me have to come off-to do a fix!


Looking up, we saw the new landscapes~







Looking down, well.....


 Mushy, messy...Lovely looking "Forced"Springtime Mud! The large Dumpy's with gravel, have done a number on the roads!!




Fortunately for us, we soon got to higher ground, and that which was not being traveled by the working machines!   It was pretty, seeing the snow farther off,  in the  foothills.
Those  glorious foothills were my last years stomping grounds  > I can hear them calling..."soon KK and Washashe mare, you will ride upon my forested  trails and take in the  glorious views from Stoney Mountain again".
And, I can't wait to take my NEW stable mates there too! Wa in her glory leading the way, as she so loves!


The mare and me looked on  together there for a short time, then turned homeward bound
to the end of the day rituals of her "Peeking" from  the stall...waiting for the coveted treats,  she has come to expect before I leave her stable to go on home~myself.


What is cute is...she grabs a hunk-o-hay to munch as she looks and waits for me to return with the anticipated "Specialty"
 goods!


Wishing you some warm weather mud- of your very own!

14 comments:

  1. Great post! "Mud Mud, glorious mud! Nothing quite like it for healing the blood!"

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nooo...you take that mud wish back! I've had mud for WEEKS and I'm sick of it. I do love that it means winter is just about over though...now if we could just go straight from everything covered in ice directly to firm ground to ride on, life would be wonderful.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Glad you got your camera back!

    Loved the Mudd Soup picture :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Glad you're happy about the mud :) Good save on the camera - I would have been frantic.

    When's the saddle coming?!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yep, loads of mud here too, which I don't like. I do like your mud hoof print pictures, though- awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  6. My well meaning "mudd wishes" to all, are for it to be the step off ice and snow. The natural progression of things only and not for the slippery,messy,boot/shoe sucking icky stuff- that it truly is!

    ReplyDelete
  7. What beautiful country you live in.
    No mud here yet - we're still in a frozen tundra.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm glad you got your camera back too. What a disater that would have been.

    I do always feel like I've been blessed when I fit my riding in between the rain squalls. LOL There hasn't been much of that lately but I can hope.

    So sad to see the trees going down like that and the heavy equipment with the damage it does. I know they planted it to cut it down but still it looks so devestated.

    ReplyDelete
  9. So far no mud and I'd like to keep it that way, hope yours dries soon.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Glad you and your friend got your things back. Thanks for the warm weather wish, but you can KEEP the MUD ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Until u have a mud, we have a 2m snow in our Russia. Mud season begins next month.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I know...MUDD WOES GOES WITH spring!Wish I owned a gravel yard!

    ReplyDelete
  13. KK! I just saw an advertisement on RFD TV and thought of you! ACTHA is looking for favorite trail horses to do a show/contest about! And I thought of you and Wa mare! I don't know the specifics, but you can find out more at www.actha.us. I know tryouts or some such thing is coming to Oregon soon! You guys should go!

    ReplyDelete
  14. So glad you two got out and about with your riding partner. And...happy recovery of all your things!

    So sad to see the trees cut down, but as you say, it has to be done and makes you new trails.

    That Wa is too cute peeking out of her stall looking for her treats.

    ReplyDelete

*Thank you for visiting, I Love to read your friendly nickers below!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...