Oregon Trail XCountry

I just had to spend my last day of "stay home vacation", out in the country. I figured this would be my clean up day, from coming back from horse camping..so since I had already done the clean up thing, a few days ago ..I would take the mare for a walk and I would clear trails while she ate grasses....well....as I went to see how she was in the field....hum, where was she?

The  past 5 days, she has run to the gate seeing me and hearing me call to her.

Not this day.

She was enjoying a laydown time of munching and rolling, I had ridden her the past 5 days in a row, even if it was just in the soft arena for 15-20 minutes over Cavallettis and around cones. So I decided to let her be in the grasses again this day, without the ride.

I walked on down the trail with my clippers, tree loppers  and gloves, intending on something special for a certain area.

I was captivated by the wild iris by the path. Some near, some far..but everywhere they are!

And, just near our fenceline...a "POOPIN' STOPIN' I call it...it's the evidence of a horse that has to stop while doing his thing. It is annoying to me to be riding and have that happen.

Down the trail from our stable I went..

..and voices I heard, horses I saw through the trees at the bottom~

Here they came, up the trail towards our stable from a neighboring stable.

 I have seen these two before! The Appy stole a bite of grass on the trail, before it's rider could pull it up!

This was a big dude, on a big dude's horse! I noticed the "Rhythm Beads" of both horses...

AND..check out this dudes mustache!!

He has beads in it too!(oou)

There they go, up the trail towards our stable

I also Noticed the braid on the Dudes horses tail!

One of their horses" did it"  the way that does not interrupt a nice trail ride...NOT STOPPING to poo!

This is called a "Poopin' Walkin' " And horses can do it- contrary to some beliefs!

I loved seeing all the new growth on the evergreens!

So, I got to work on a trail the recent loggers made ..it was full of slash branches and rocks and as I was clearing, I thought...hummm, this is the perfect trail for some cross country jumps!

 I always enjoy a good natural log or downed tree jump along the trail when I ride.  I  have also set them up in all the woods I have ridden consistently over the years. The mare truly LOVES to jump..she gets rather excited and focused.  In the past, we took weekly jump lessons at a local stable. The fact that the arena was outdoors made it nice too...she likes the outdoor setting as much as I do!

Last week, during our first week of "lock down" due to the EHV-1 outbreak..I had some nice times around home, to spend with the mare.  It was truly a volatile weather week..but somehow, the mare and me  managed to get out all of the days and ride, without getting totally soaked.  I also  was communicating with the owner of Cavallo hoof boots over my recent findings through THEROGRAPHY. She and I got to talk for an hour over her Co. and the boots. What a nice lady she was!! Carole, the founder of Cavallo, was upset that my mare had actually sustained injury from her boots and was all about giving me a refund. AWESOME! So we talked and talked and I found out the Co. IS MAKING a lower profile boot soon. That proves to me there is a need, plus the fact that EASYBOOT has ratings for how many miles you may put on a Hoof boot for it to be safe for the animals legs, when the boot is so tall like that.

Anywho.....I totally digressed!

As I did ride last week near home..I choose all the softest trails for trotting and even some jumping.

The first day I jumped the mare, she was so excited that she thought to keep cantering ,without permission up the trail..So I had to employ the "Racehorse stop"...firmly placing my left hand on her mane with contact to her mouth and then raising my right hand up, in short bursts of contact while sitting back, till she slowed.

I  also said, "Whoa, easy Wa", several times. The  voice seemed to help, I have not added that before, just the body weight first and rein tactics after. The second and third day we jumped the same log, she was really awesome! She cantered almost in place in excitement, as we slowed after the jump. It was much more controlled and she was listening to me well.

I am happy that I did all this work in the woods..I think it brought on another occuarnce....

As I worked along...I could hear my phone chiming in messages left for me.

I kept on going....tossing and clearing and moving things....making sure one could jump, or walk over the obstacles.

These are "boundary markers"on the sides,  where the trail is rough and too uneven to travel.

There is a large buried stone here...so I made a flat pile of branches, for the horses to step or hop over.

WHEW..I had no idea that I worked for nearly 3 hours!!! It felt good and I can hardly wait to show the mare!!

 It will be very funny to see her reaction to the changes while- we WALK the course- the next time out.

You can see my vest hanging in the tree there on the right....I finally collected it down and got to the messages that were left me before...........AND OH,OH,OH!...............

....Got a call from the Owner of ANSUR Saddlery~

MY NEW SADDLE IS READY= FRIDAY!!!

Here is the TOTALLY FUNNY*** thing that occurred to me.

Many of my readers have children (that's not the funny thing) and some maybe not, like me. BUT- the fact remains the same...we all know someone that has been so ready to POP in childbirth, but somehow had that extra, instinctual- energy to CLEAN HOUSE right before they go into labor!! It cracks me up, it is like clockwork..they clean house, then they have their baby! It has happened to so many of my friends.

SO-

 I heard in my head***

"IF YOU BUILD IT- THEY WILL CALL"...said in the wispy eery, breathy voice from "FIELD OF DREAMS"!

THAT'S IT...all I had to do all along, was get that craving to build jumps and it brought on the saddle!

ALL IN GOOD TIME!