First Trillium of Spring!

Perfect Trillium

Lynn & I met at Kathryn Taylor Park - first trailers there.  It was a sunny, perfect morning, after starting out in the low 30's.  We planned to get in some miles & Lynn had a plan!  Once we'd started out, I realized that we were riding our longer loop - only in reverse!  Funny how just a change in direction can make the views fresh & interesting.  My surprise though - was finding blooming Trillium's!  The first few were beat by the heavy rains, but finally my search was rewarded when I found the one above!

Daffodils line the drive~

It was such a gorgeous day that I tried to overlook Farah's antics...  Head tossing, threats to buck - her usual arsenal of ornery behaviors.  The miles rolled by - we headed down the the Sammamish Valley Trail along the slough in Redmond.  We were surprised by the many people out enjoying a real spring day.

Farrel-McWhirter Farm

 Next we rode the long way around Farrel-McWhirter Farm.  All forested trails, we found a couple men surveying at the edge of one, they were unlucky enough to be working near a large patch of skunk cabbage!

 

Lots of water flowing everywhere!

From the park, we connected with the Powerline Trail & started back due east on the straight shot of rolling Big hills that we followed all the way back to Kathryn Taylor.

Powerline Trail looking east at the Cascades

 This gave us the opportunity for some trotting & a couple gallops too!  Sophie as usual set the bar high - with her good, fast working trot, so Farah had to reduce her antics to keep up.   The bikes found that while they excelled on the downhills, two galloping horses would pass them handily on the up!  :-)

As we rode back into the parking area at KTP, there was a woman who had her horses tied to the trailer while she was stripping hair, cutting the mane of a Fiord etc.  There were piles of manure - so it looked like they'd been there a while.  As she started to pull out - I looked over & noticed that all the mess still on the ground!  I had to run - but cut her off & asked her to stop.  She did & unhappily put her window down, as I asked her to pick up her mess.  She said;  "The manure?"  I responded;  "Yes & the hair too!"  Next - she asked me if I was the "horse police?"  I replied;  "No, just a horseman who wanted us all to be able to continue to have these amazing & few places to RIDE!"  UNREAL!  How can someone pull into a pristine parking lot & think that leaving a mess is OK?  

We covered just over 21-miles of urban trails in under five hours.

By day's end - we'd made plans to meet-up with Amanda in Woodinville for an impromptu birthday dinner!  Jack drove over & Butch met us too!  Farah was so surprised when he pulled in next to the trailer :-)  What fun to get-together & good time we had catching up!  The perfect way to end a perfect day of riding!

Amblin' in the Sunshine~

Watery Trail~

After days & days of rain - Lynn & I met at Kathryn Tailor in Redmond for a ride!   By the time we were saddling up about noon, the sun was so warm that I decided on No jacket!  I even removed my thin thermal top!   It didn't take long until we realized that even here, where trails are notoriously good year-round - that it was wet.

Farah enjoys grass!

 When we stopped at the drainage basin, the grass was growing & Farah took advantage :-)  Also - Finally...  the frogs are in song!  Even during daylight we could hear a few crokes!   As I watched - here hopped the little guy below!

Western WA frog :-)

Obviously - they're trying to make up time for the cold February weather that kept them quiet longer than I can remember.   Farah was in full "ornery" mode this day.  Tossing her head, threatening Sophie whenever there was the slightest chance that Sophie might want to pass.  Without my saddle - it makes it hard for me to correct her - but I managed.  Shortly after - we saw two good size Coyote's!  They were determined to stay in the area - so we're wondering if pups are already on the ground?

Lynn & Sophie enjoy the sun!

I told Lynn, I'll owe her miles in the rear - once I'm back in my saddle.  Still recovering from whatever bug those sweet little granddaughters passed to me, I started feeling queasy mid-afternoon - so decided to dismount & do some walking.  Farah took offense to this & picked the fabric of my sleeve off my elbow!  That move resulted in her getting a stern correction & she instantly backed off.   I can already tell that the gold girl is getting her early Spring Attitude!

Fun, Faster, Farther ~

Our 20-mile ride~

Yesterday I met Lynn in Redmond at Katheryn Taylor Equestrian Park.  Such an incredible asset within an semi-urban area.  There were new houses being built in what was a part of the forest that still covers most of the Redmond Ridge.  It's a Beautiful forest too - still intact enough that some wildlife ekes out an existence there.   A doe with twins crossed the trail in front of us & further on, a Coyote was sitting in the middle of the trail grooming himself.  He was small & scrawny - not like the bigger ones we see in the mountains.

Small, pretty, horse farm~

The farm above is on a corner where we usually stop to let the horses grab some mouthful's of grass.  Looks like these owners have all the "toys" & that includes horses!  Nice!  All in a relatively small space too.  Being right on at least 20+ miles of equestrian access trails has got to be very nice.

We cruised along at a moderate pace, the morning was overcast & cool - so perfect summer riding weather.    We ran into a place with "closed-trail" signs- men working on a drainage basin that was almost finished & full of water.  They were putting down straw to stop erosion until the grass could grow.  We asked if we could go around the trucks & as we did, Farah - seeing a bale of straw - just HAD to take a bite!  She even ate it!  I think it would take some pretty harsh conditions for this mare to starve in the wild :-)

Out just about four-hours, we ran into friends, had a good chat & an even better ride!   Lynn has become such a popular riding partner that I feel lucky when she squeaks in a ride with me!  We covered a fraction under 20-miles in four hours.

Riding & Farah's Scratches~

15-mi. Route at Kathryn Taylor Park

We've still been battling scratches on Farah's high white hind sock.  After months of keeping her stalled & dry - she would have a "relapse".   I'd called Diane & asked her if she had any ideas...  She did!  Penaten baby cream.  With a quick search, I found it at Amazon.com & ordered two tins.  Monday it was in the mail, so Butch & I headed over to the farm.  I washed down Farah's leg with Castile soap, rinsed, then dried & dried & dried.  Next - applied the cream & wrapped the leg with cotton & a bandage.  By the next morning - the leg looked the best it has in months!  

Since Ms. Farah was going nutty with her short daily rides on the farm - I loaded her in the trailer & we headed to Redmond to meet up with our new Saddle-Up friends!  Such a perfect day, hazy sunshine, warm breeze.   Farah decided to become her own worst enemy...  fighting the bit, trying to gallop, refusing to "listen" to me, making my life miserable.  I was hoping that the six-mile mark would bring a return of her brain...  but no... this time it took ten-miles!   Three riders headed back to the trailers, but Amanda & I decided to add a few miles.  Once the other horses were gone - Farah settled in, started paying attention, giving to the bit, collecting & moving out the way only she can. 

Once we were back at the trailers, I stripped her saddle & looked for a place she could roll.  Found a nice grassy area - but - faster than I could move her - she found the only clay - muddy spot & dropped into it, grinding her withers back/forth - having a horsy good time!  That set her up for a badly needed bath back at the farm.  Keep your fingers crossed that the improvement to her leg continues!  

On a ROLL!

Redmond Watershed Preserve Ride

Spoiled, no other word for it!  All these sunshine days have been so incredible that any horse person really feels the need to ride!  Farah had a bath yesterday - overdue!  Polito was kind enough to have her blanketed & ready when I arrived at the farm to pick her up at 7:30 this morning.  It was Cold!    I planned at least 1-1/2 hrs. travel time to get to the trailer parking at the Redmond Watershed Preserve.  Leaving the farm before 8 a.m. I took the back roads going down.  We still pulled in just after 9 a.m.  That gave me plenty of time to get Farah saddled & warmed up before anyone else arrived.

This ride was organized by Amanda - a member of our Saddle-Up group, ride out at 10 sharp!   Six riders had signed up, five made it -  for what was to be a faster paced ride.  Layers came off before we left the trailers!  Wish I'd thought to get a picture, but with two buckskins, a paint, a bay & Farah - we were a colorful group :-)

My "re-furbished" GPS recorded our ten-mile route.  I forgot to start it as we left the parking area, you see that at the lower right of the picture.  The other break in the path is at the left side, top corner of the square - where we stopped for a few minutes at Farrel McWhirter Park.

Farah clean & ready to go :-)

Farah soon let me know that she was too wound-up to have anyone behind her & let the horse behind know too... with a big Swish of her tail!  So we took up the rear position.  It took about six-miles for her to settle down to business & from then on she was a Grand ride!  She recognized the area when we stopped at Farrel-McWhirter Park for a short break.  I was amazed that no one was there.

On such a beautiful day, even with five horses who didn't know each other - we had a perfect ride!  We all felt that we made a very compatible group :-)  When we returned to the trailers, I was smart enough to get Farah's saddle off quickly & then lead her to some nice thick, damp grass for her mandatory roll!  My training has progressed!  :-)