Gorgous in July~

Dappled Shade in the trees~

I was happy to hear that Joyce had time for a ride today.  It was another beautiful morning, cooler than yesterday.  Sunshine, a light breeze & clouds floating by overhead.   No traffic, no school buses - summertime!  Still not used to the ugliness at the Bracken Rd. parking area of the tree farm - it's hard to pull in & remember it as it was...  I'm sure it will take years before any of us who knew it before - reconcile to the new look.  We headed over to a trail through one of the few remaining stands of nice trees - then wrapped around to the creek crossing where the Beaver Pond used to be.  I think the Beavers were trapped, hopefully relocated & the dam removed.  This all makes for a beautiful crossing for the horses, without what had become a swim across in early spring.

Creek Crossing~

Joyce was riding Target, who hadn't been out much this season - so we took it easy.  Farah had checked him out - almost falling on her face as she exited the trailer :-)  She's always interested in who we ride with & she'd only met Target once that I can think of. 

Joyce & Target

She allowed me to rate her without too much head-tossing or threat of a buck :-)  It's not that I don't see the head drop, neck curl, back come up & feel the power coiled there!  :-)  Thankfully - she's a good girl!  One of her very few bad habits - I say few because it's only happened twice now - is running off when I've been mounting up.  I get a foot in the stirrup & start the swing & she takes off.  Both times, the second just this past weekend - I stay in the stirrup, pull her up & smack her hard with my stick!  Today - when I was ready to re-mount after a short break - I said;  "You'd better Stand - or No Cookie!"  When I say that she "stood like a statue" - it wouldn't be an understatement!  I reached into my pack for a cookie, but hadn't put them back in!  I borrowed one from Joyce - since she's used the cookie as reward for no movement during mounting, for years - very successfully :-)

Starting to flower~

We really had a fun ride, some good trots, did the sand loop a couple times & since Joyce had to work - we quit at just over ten-miles.  Once home,  I untacked Farah up at the barn, our usual routine.  Then - as usual, she walks two steps into the tack room to remind me that she needs one of either the mint or carrot cookies that are stored in the can!

This is the cookie can!

This mare would come in the house if there was something to eat inside!  She loves standing there - looking around, then resting while I put things away.  Next - down to the house for a shower to wash the sweat off - feels good to us both.  Finally, fly spray/mask - & her pasture time.  Spoiled?  No way :-)

Distance Derby Update:  Holding onto seventh by a wing & a prayer - over 650 YTD!  Shoes rattling & ready to fall off after under four weeks!