Putting the Pedal Down~

Thimbleberry

Back to the bit.  Trainers always get a laugh out of riders who try to solve their own horse related issues.  I've never claimed to be a trainer, but I am a rider.  Dean taught me that a rider rides - every stride.  It's the on-going search for that perfect sweet spot, between a horse & rider - that I find fascinating & challenging!

We were only a mile out when a bike came around the corner.  Farah stopped so suddenly that my thumb nail was broken to the quick, on the pommel.  Next - a woman running with a loose dog.  We'd gone right back to the trot & all she got was a nasty shake of Farah's neck in the dogs direction :-)

Fast Trail - everything growing!

The bugs were out in force today.  When the sun burned through the clouds, the humidity went right up.  I think the two of us probably breathed & ate our share of flying insects.

Whitehorse, Three Fingers & Pilchuck

We galloped all the way to the top.  Farah took one deep breath & we turned on the trail to the Monument.  She grazed & I made phone calls.  Yes, surgery was on, no it was off.  More phone calls, more paperwork - yes - it's on again. 

Farah in her bit~

I needed the exercise as much as Farah did.  I do actually think that she's so fit now - it takes more to get her edge off.  I know it takes more - to do the same for me.

False Lilly-of-the-Valley

The blooms of the natives are now all whites.  The Salmonberry bushes are setting their berries!  Soon - we'll have plenty of fruit to eat on the trail!

Morning Dove

I was on foot, walking down the big hill, when this beautiful Dove flew up in front of us & perched in a near by tree.  She sat while I got the camera out & took the photo.  A good omen, I do believe.  Once we were at the bottom, we turned back.  Farah was ready & leaped into a gallop, asking to go faster, faster & since we'd seen no one - I let her go.

Trails open!

At the intersection she really poured it - on to the crest of the final hill.  Another deep breath - she turned onto the trail at a trot - so nice to be able to ride the trails again!  They are so dry for so early in the year.  Soon we were back at the trailer, both of us feeling a whole lot better!

Out from Home~

Lush green, sunshine & shadows~

The rain did not continue today, instead we had another perfect Spring day.  I didn't seem to have the motivation to trailer out to ride & hadn't been up on our trails for a month.  As we moved into the trot, there was no problem with forging?  Farah was moving really well, she hit a couple times going over the rock, but not every stride.

Land of the ATV'ers - going north

I rode right on out & north to the area that we found a couple months ago.  All was quiet, early enough in the afternoon, no one was home from work - yet.  The footing above is soft, dry & perfect!

Deceptively deep mud hole~

This was the hole that was full of water our first time through.  The mud is deep & it's deeper bog on both sides.  We sunk in up to Farah's knees - I was thinking;  "Keep your shoes on!"  She did & we did - right on through.  Nice that there's a creek crossing on the way home :-)

False Lilly-of-the-Valley

The ground-covers are in full-bloom everywhere!  Just amazing!  I have these at home too, & really enjoy having them spread rather than buttercup!  A few weeks ago I posted a photo of this hill from the top, below you see it from the bottom.

View of the "hill" looking east.

The weirdest thing about this ride, is that Farah was moving out, really moving-out - without forging.  Why?  I have No idea...  But... you won't hear me complain if she gets through her inspection with her usual huge, collected, big, ground-covering stride!  Hope the handler can run!  :-)

With a loop at the far north, we went out & back on the same trail - the GPS gave us over ten-miles.  Still happy to have found enough "trail" to extend our range.