Mountain Horse Riders

Hope you all do not get tired of me going on about this trip we took... but, I wanted to finish up the posts with a look at our last ride.

AND ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS:

YES, the boat came with one of the men and my man was the only one that did not partake of the hours on the lake fishing, not his thing. My man did go up the mountaindside at Wallowa lake State park in a tram  unit!

And- YESSS, my NEW ANSUR "Konklusion" Saddle  rode the prairie and mountains fantastically. The foward panels gave me room to move and the deeper seat of the all purpose, also kept me in place nicely, for the hills. The mare and me both were happy riders with no sores. I did get my  WintecWebbers for the trip!The double leathers and buckle under the thigh was a no-go!

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While we could have ridden another day, we opted not to, my man and I, along with our travel partner( Theo's mom) took the day in the town of Joseph. What a blast we had too..shopping and viewing the gorgeous artworks( inside the shops...and outside) of the local artisan community.

There were fabulous Bronze, life like sculptures, on every corner!

 Wa mare and Theo got a break, after the Prairie ride. (though-the other  3 riders went for another "Host generated ride") Us two horses resters, thought to ride off property that evening to the nearest mountains seen below, towering above the Timothy grass fields- and Buffalo!

While we wanted to do a mellow ride that eve....

. . . . there was a freak Thunder- Lightening-Hail storm..so nope..

So, watched and went for another GREAT meal out later. The local dining was truly fantastic! 

I missed out on that ride and sometime will go back for it. ( Yea really want to go back to the Wallowas!) 

There was reported to us, by our host, to be a waterfall.

When the others returned and reported that the ride they went on( while we shopped) supposedly to see meadows and lakes..was so bogus and terrible due to the trail being obstructed by trees. I was happy I went shopping and took a nap!

Everyday, before breakfast, our dear friend and her Paint Big Skye Paint always  rode or walked the country side. She is an early bird ( in fact, most the folks we went with were) My man and I ARE NOT! I got up early to feed at 6am but would not be a functiong woman till after breakfast..and even that was rather early for us..8:30am.

At home, I am just getting up at 8:30 as I work till 9-10 pm on my late nights. Another freind on the trip, Julie  of "EQUINENMINE BLOG" , works till like 2am..now she and I are on the same page with timing!

Big Skye and his early bird rider~

I sat upon the deck and watched  Big Skye confidently stride down the country road while we  waited for breakfast to be served.  I happily sipped my JAVA, and ate my homemade biscuit with lemon curd on- with my man!

The linens and accessories were to blame cute...horsey all the way!

After breakfast, the soft clean towels behind the shower also awaited my choosing-  in thier cute scale holder~

The rubbish bin even was adorable and cowboy-isk

So, all  had discussed several things for this days ride, the day before and that morning, at breakfast. The day brought forth -yet more discussions on the direction.....it was somewhat confusing and I left it to the others..but chimed in when " lake views or meadows"  were mentioned.  Our HOST got involved again.

 I have not mentioned much about the hosts..cause well, they were very different than any other B'n'B  hosts we'd  ever had. My man and I have had over 12 unique stays over the years, in many states and countries...but these folks took the cake for..um, er..."participation" in our stay.  Somehow they showed up  EVERYWHERE we were...and almost insisted on what we did and where we went. They also inserted themselves into conversations, which was annoying and very different from any host, as I said, we have dealt with before.

The way it has gone for my man and I ere now, usually is: "We won't be there when you arrive-hse keys under mat- choose your room and leave the fyler on the doorknob to when you'd like your farm fresh, or uban homemade  breakfast, -seeya! Oh and, fresh berries and Port or Sherry are in your room"!!! No kidding, we have had that kind of experiences with Hosts- over and over!

So..Our lake view ride was chosen for this day. We were assured that only the" first half mile" were -boulder rocks- on the trail, and then it was smooth riding.

We were off to Wallowa Lake park... ooou pretty!

Parking was a breeze, got the last two, for horsetrailers. We started the ride so very optomistic! Signs are always good~

Nice trails so far...open and flat...

The accent began....up and up, on rocky terrains~ this first quarter mile, fits the  host's description

...then narrower and narrower began, with uneven and rocky footing~

..okay we have gone over 2 miles and this just  gets a bit worse now...bouldesr to step around...hopefully NOT on the CLIFF side!

Hiya Theo...how ya doing?

The steep switchback afforded some great views at almost 4miles up -that felt like 10- for the roughest terrains I have ridden, for that long, on one trail.

Having started at lake level, to now overlooking it ,we could see how far we'd ridden~

My mare and Theo were a bit tired, with the constant footing challenges and so were we... so  we decided to do a photo op and then decend this rough trail, knowing for as far as we'd come so far, the same was to be had, going down!!

I had my handy-dandy flexible camera mounting tri-pod on board...yea! But 10 seconds to scale the camera's  perch point,to my mare...oops, got my back side!

Some other riders came on by..perfect spot for allowing them to pass- this time- too. We had had several hikers and other horse groups come along before this, at the most un opportune passing areas...this trail really had some challenges..one hiker did'nt allow us to pass, but with huge backpack aboard..just laid hands upon our horse buts and passed them,without asking! I thought it rude and rather brave, as they slid by with a parichute noise..they could have gotten kicked right down that mountainside-if our horses had taken objection!

These 2 rider's horses

 looked the mountain horse part...hefty!

 My Wa mare and I scaled the downward hills-together-as did Theo and his rider...on foot all of us...it was easier, and as the horses showed us, safer.. as  both the horses almost stepped off the trail once...we made it down fine and and feeling accomplished again...we'd done something we maybe never would have chosen to do!

Later, the horses took a nap and rested in the shadow of the big red barn that I loved~

When we returned home again, us 2 riders that turned back, appropriately so, for our skill level...we were met with a scorn full host (2). We over heard a chat they were having with host(1) on the phone...host (1) was on a horse-at the destination spot they had bid us to go to..and we all were NOT THERE!!

They called to report this to host (2).

Some names were thrown out for us to hear( not nice at all),

Then host (2) hung up and turned upon my friend and I, as we parked my rig....I did not appreciate the tongue lashing about  "go where we tell you to go!" So I retorted  in a far  nicer fashion, about how " we had BAD DIRECTIONS and had followed them to a "T"...and when we had discovered they were bogus, we turned back and -HENCE- here we were- safe and sound!"  Host(2) shut up and went elsewhere...we had gone back to the lake to see if the other two had made it down the mountain, after we settled the horses and unhooked the trailer..and yes...we had seen them on the road,coming home so we were not alarmed  but assured, as we had been with letting them go onward, them being experieiced trail riders and all!

Here they are about half way to where my friend and I turned around~

Alls well that ends well..and this trip was a challenge all the way around,(during the third night-all night- I recieved txt msg's,about my mother in the hospital from my sister that was with her. That made for a wasted-tired day- for this the moutain horse trail day)...

 but,we have memories of beauty and peaceful settings and the desire to return, under different accomodations.

I  have a feeling of great accomplishment, having traveled far with my mare~

This travel journey has meant so much to me, I am so proud of my TB mare!

Good girl Wa mare, such a journey of trust~