What Are Friends For?

As we started our ride~

Friends are those people who make you do things that you otherwise wouldn't do!  :-)  It went something like this...  Charlotte's schedule has changed, Joyce & I have missed riding with her...  So - since an early start was needed & this was the day that worked for us all - my friends pressured me to get up before the sun, load up my mare in a cold fog...  & head up to Bracken.

See how pleased they are with themselves?  :-)

The sun came out!  The day warmed up!  I removed my jacket & when I did - accidentally shut off my Garmin!  Those of you who follow this blog - know by now that I've logged my miles all year & am in the home stretch of the Distance Derby!  Not a time to lose any miles!  Lucky for me - Joyce had hers on - so I had the stats to back up the ride!  Of course I didn't realize that it had shut-off until we were on our way back to the trailers.

Proof of my two departures & returns!

Since we'd had that early start, it was only 11 a.m. when we were back & Charlotte headed home.  Joyce too - had to leave - she still had chores, before she would need to head to work.  Lucky me - I didn't have any time constraint, the sun was shining & I decided that it would be all too easy to head back out.

Farah on Tin Bridge

Since I've gotten lost at Bracken several times, Joyce told me how to stay on the road & get in a few more miles.  Once I was out there a way, I remembered how to get to the bridge.  We're not supposed to access it from the tree farm, but it's been done many, many times without any problems.  As Farah stepped on - I realized how incredibly slippery the wood planks were!  The nail heads are already worn smooth to the shoe, so no traction there.  She carefully got us across.  Since I've been elected as the equestrian representative for the Centennial Trail, I'm going to mention this at the next meeting.  Something will have to be installed to mitigate the wood planks that will only get more slippery as the wet season continues.

Stillaquamish River - WAY down...

 It's almost shocking how low the water levels are in the rivers & streams.  As much as I'm enjoying the incredible December weather - I know that we need the rain!

Farah was as on task as she could possibly be this ride - we had FUN!  We did some short, fast gallops, some nice trotting & it was great that the trails were as dry as they were & no longer frozen.  We did run into a lady with at least six loose dogs - they all came running at us.  I told her that Farah had just kicked the heck out of my friends dog - she said;  "OK - if they get kicked - they'll deserve it!"  I asked Farah to "be nice" & she didn't kick out - sweet relief.  Joyce told us today that poor Jackson not only has a shoe shaped gash on the top of his head, but also another beneath his jaw!  The only way we can figure that happened - was if Farah hit him with both hind feet.

Farah, Sunshine & rain!

 I was so glad that we went out again!  It was good for us both - she finally had a chance to take the edge off & we got to ride through sunshine & rain at the same time!  It was just a gift of a December day!  Many thanks to our friends - for keeping us on task, in our quest to be the highest mileage horse in the Derby!