Ridin~ ?

Gate bent & open~

Funny how fate can be.  It doesn't take much to send the best laid plans askew.  Monday I was busy all day, packing, cooking, cleaning, the usual.  Late in the afternoon as I was walking down from the barn, I managed to bend my right ankle stepping on a rock.  The next step it hurt for a minute, but then was fine.  In the middle of the night, I woke up suddenly & felt the pain of what seemed to be a sprain!  No!  Thinking positive, just thought I'd twisted it in my sleep.  

Yesterday morning with my first few steps - I knew that it was a sprain - no doubt.  Walking hurt.  I drove up to my friend Joyce's to pick up Khari's heavier blanket that had needed repair.  When Joyce saw me "hobbling" - at least a "Grade I" lame - she knew I was mad!  :-)  She gave me some pain relieving patches that stick.  I plan to use them!

I wanted to get Khari out, the weather was much nicer than what the weather forecast had been predicting, so saddled up & away we went.  Once my foot was in the stirrup, the pain really wasn't all that bad.  We did a couple nice sets of trotting & cantering, again going over to the trails that had been closed off.  Once home, I knew right away that I hadn't done the ankle any "good". 

Now I'm doubling my dose of HA, staying "off" the foot today & using Butch's cane, which he says he will inscribe with the word "cripple" in my honor!  :-)  I've ridden with a broken wrist & other injuries over the years, so hope with a few days off - things will be tolerable.  Question is now - who will I find to trot out the mare? 

Riding in the Sunshine!

Connie & Farah, Charlotte & Aliento

Connie & Farah, Amanda & Cato

 I've had a couple fine days of riding in the sunshine!  On Friday I met up with Charlotte & Amanda for Amanda's first visit to the Monument.  That's always a pretty special thing - taking someone who's never "been" there to see that stunning view.  Cato dug in & did the hills like a champ!  We were all having a grand time admiring the stunning views of the mountains with the most snow cover we've seen in years.  I rode Farah & that was a challenge.  She is very unhappy with having to be stalled, but the scratches are still there, swelling & heat are gone - so we seen to be on the correct treatment protocol.  She pranced, she bucked, she galloped & finally she settled down & behaved!  Here's the link to the stats from that ride;  Victoria Loop by hhmstead at Garmin Connect - Details

Today, Amanda & I met-up at Bridal Trails State Park in Bellevue.  It had been at least twenty-years since I'd ridden there when Butch was building the Redhook Brewery in Woodinville.  At that time we rode from the Brewery to Marymore Park in Redmond, then over the freeway on a very scary concrete overpass/bridge, through a neighborhood & finally to Bridal Trails!  It was a feat!

Bridle Trails Route

Amanda suggested taking me as close to around the perimeter as we could go & that was really fun.  We saw some amazing small horse farms & really incredible homes.  The trails were well groomed except for a few downed trees.  We rode ten-miles & enjoyed every minute.  Khari was well behaved - except for a squeal at Cato for getting too "fresh" :-)  

Beautifully managed small horse farm

 We even took the time to work the horses at a obstacle course that is adjacent to the main park of the park!  How cool was that?  Khari did NOT like the "noodles" but eventually went through with a rush!  

We met a man riding his huge Shire!  17'3 H!   Do you believe six flakes of hay a day?!  Just a perfect day to be OUT!

Ride from Home~

Water flowing over the road from the Beaver Dam

It was cold, but we'd had a sun break or two, so saddled Khari & headed up to see what we could see.  

To the right of the photo above

 The wetland I've been trying to protect all these years is directly behind the evergreens.  The trail to it has now become a creek bed & the clearing that was done is now full of young alders - making it impassable.  All of this is a "good thing" for protecting the west side.  

Once up on the power lines, we cut over to the west side & through an area where we used to have trails, but in the last few years - the trails sprouted houses on small acreages.   We'd attended a clinic at the "Flying Filly" but all was quiet there this day.

Covered Round-pen at the Flying Filly

We turned back & headed on south down the power line access road.  Past more of the Wetland ponds that are full to the brim!

Love the cattails & water!

  At the southern end of the access road, we turned east, back toward "our" trails, expecting that the gate there would be locked.

Many locks on the gate

 I should have taken a photo of where Khari squeezed through, between the gate post on the other side & an ecology block.  She was Amazing!  Best in the West at obstacles :-)  Some of the big snags that had been put at that side had rotted back enough to give about 18" of clearance.  Getting through this way put us near the paved side of our old trail system.  Now I was wondering if we'd be able to get out!  At the bottom of the trail, there was another gate that had closed off the shorter route back home for several years.  It was unlocked & standing open!  Bonus!  We went through & onto "our" trails to complete our upper loop!  

 My new GPS is working perfectly!  Lots of new Garmin tools on-line too & the ability to save & send out data sheets from our "workout".  Even a setting for "horseback riding"!  

Spring! Hours away!

King Edward Flowering Currant

Very cold!  Blue sky!  What an incredible morning!  Wouldn't it have been nice to have had this weather yesterday...   I'll take it for today!   the buds on the flowering currants are holding their own.

Indian Plum blooming

One of the first Washington Native plants to bloom - lending the appearance of white lace to the light green of the new leaf buds.

Frozen ice on the ground covers~

Spring is around the corner!

We have a Sunshine Ride~!

Khari waits - Redmond Watershed

At home, the wind was blowing - it was raining... but after talking to Amanda we decided to just "buck-up" & ride!  Heading for Redmond it was rain, wind then a sun break in Duvall.  I parked at the Watershed wondering where everyone was until my phone rang & I found out that I'd misunderstood riding there with "parking" there!  Put Khari back in the trailer & we were only a few minutes late getting to Kathryn Taylor where the sun was out!

Beth on Kate, Amanda & Cato

 My GPS was on the fritz - wouldn't stay on...  so I'm hoping it's only that it didn't take a charge.  We trusted Amanda & she didn't let us down!  We had just a fantastic ride going here, there & everywhere!  We rode for almost four hours & covered probably close to 20-miles.  It was so beautiful out, the air smelled so fresh & we found blooming daffodils - a sure sign that Spring is just around the corner!  

Khari has decided that she likes Beth's mare Kate - but Not behind her :-)  Really nice day to enjoy a really nice ride!