Taking the Bit~

Fog at home, but promise of afternoon sunshine motivated me - as if I need the motivation on these brisk Fall days!  Farah was more than ready too - I unsnap the lead & she loads herself.  I wanted a faster paced ride, we were the only rig at the trail-head.

Rays of sunshine~

The sun broke through just as we were parking, last of the fog burning off.  Before the first mile was behind us, Farah moved into her nice trot & I was busy admiring the sun, the leaves & the day.  Making the climb up to the Monument - all the little trees on the hillside were sparkling with the last of the dew on their branches, growing fast!

Trail to the top~

Once we came off the trail & made the turn onto the road - Farah passed her usual drink at the water puddle.  Before I realized that we weren't stopping - she took the bit, gave a little buck & took off at a gallop!  This was earlier on the hill than where we have made these runs before.  She wasn't slowing down - the speed went up - with one air-above-the-ground - sideways over a sunspot on a fern.  She used that momentum to gain more speed & I was asking sternly for a slow down just prior to the upcoming intersection.  Happily - she complied & we pulled up for me to get a photo of Mt. Washington under a cap of clouds.

Mt. Washington

 A couple deep breaths & we turned to go to our lunch spot - I'm sure part of the motivation for the run :-)  It's made me So happy to see, feel & know that finally, finally we have a saddle that works for us both!  For her to offer these runs, with a free spirit - tells me more than any sweat pattern could!

Stunning views off the west side~

The sun felt that perfect warm, not the hot of Summer.  It was really a quiet day too, only the small wrens flirting from bush to bush~

Enjoying the green grass~

We had a meeting this evening, so I decided to go down the hill to do a short loop at the bottom before heading back up.  There were mushrooms sprouting through the moist forest soil in many places. Strangely, many had been broken & broken off -  certainly looking intentional - either by humans, dogs or other animals.

Fresh shrooms~

I was happy to see this one intact & so pretty!

Lower woods~

It was quite here too, we turned on one trail, followed it a way - until another turned back the way we needed to go.  Again, at the bottom of the hill - a certain gold mare took off at a trot - leaped into a gallop & we flew back to the top, with me yelling "yippee"!  Which she Loves!  :-)

With the growing hair coat, it took me a while to get her brushed out once we were home.  Too late in the day for a bath.   Love these October rides~