Riding the Burn

We're coming up on the one year anniversary of the fire.  Riding in the burn area is interesting, but certainly not pretty.  I sure wouldn't ride here on a windy day, although I hear they recently removed the dead trees along this particular trail. 

Be fire wise and safe this summer.

We've received quite a bit of welcome rain this Spring.  Hopefully that will bring the fire danger...and hay prices...down, down, down.

Misty's Monday Muse - Postcard from Colorado

Having a wonderful time.

Wish you were here!

**************************************************

Photo courtesy Mark and Debbie Bibb

I've been taking MyLady on lots of trail rides this summer.  We're having so much fun, there hasn't been any time for blogging.  We are spending  all of our free time together and have become great trail partners.  There are still several months of lovely riding weather, so we'll be in touch when the snow flies.  
   
Enjoying the great outdoors,

Tying on the Trail

Do you tie your horse out on the trail?  

To trees or hitching rails?

My last trail ride (previous post) was wonderful. However, we did have one small incident that became a good learning experience.

We stopped at a rest area with hitching rails.

 I took my lead rope out of my saddle bag.
I snapped the lead rope to Misty's halter and removed her bridle.

I tied the lead rope to the hitching rail.

I sat down at a nearby picnic table to enjoy a snack.

I thought I had tied the lead safely around the rail and support post so it wouldn't slide.

Nope!

I looked at Misty and Oh! Oh!

Misty had her head down to the ground, happily munching grass, because the lead rope had slid all the way down the support pole to the ground.  Not a good situation.  So I got up to fix it before she decided to put her head up.

Another rider, closer to Misty, saw the precarious situation too and moved toward Misty to help.  Misty lifted her head, felt the odd angle of resistance from the lead rope and went into a panic.   I got to her just as the hardware on her lead rope broke.  She stood quietly like "Huh, what just happened?"

Another rider came over and tied my lead rope (now without hardware) to her halter and I re-tied the lead rope to the rail, securely this time.

She soon got into another brief panic and pulled back hard, but didn't break anything.  This was very unusual behavior for Misty as she has never done the panic-pull-back dance before. It surprised me.  I'm not sure what caused the 2nd panic. Perhaps she was aware of the deer herd we just passed, as they moved away from the area.  Or she was uncomfortable with the horse tied at the other end of the hitching rail. Or the poor girl was just feeling a little freaky after her 1st panic.

No harm done, thankfully. 
It was time to mount-up and ride-on.

Lessons learned:

1. Stay close to Misty when she is tied in a strange place, next to an unfamiliar horse, especially out on the trail. 
2. Find a better method of tying out on the trail. 

I prefer not to leave a lead rope tied to her halter and ride with it around her neck or tied to my saddle horn, etc.  I want to easily detach the lead and carry it in my saddle bag.

I'm going to try The Clip.  

Anybody use one out on the trail? I think the tether ring will be useful around tree trunks and then I can attach the clip to the tether ring. 



How do you tie out on the trail?

I'd Still Rather Be Trail Riding

A lovely day for a ride.

Warm sunshine was welcome.

The scenery was beautiful.

Looking forward to my next trail ride.

I love my Misty mare.

Ready to Ride

Peek-a-Boo, Can't See You

Winding through scrub oak and pine trees.

Dawson Butte

I'd Rather Be Trail Riding

I have pictures to share and posts to write, but alas, I cannot find the cord to my camera.   Maybe if I did some Spring cleaning at home, I'd find the cord.  But I'd rather be trail riding. 

Just got back from a lovely three hour ride, winding through pine trees, hoping I wouldn't lose a knee cap in the tight spots or poke an eye out on a low branch.  That is the challenge of riding a draft in the woods.  But it was a great ride and we saw some new things on the trail ... like tents.

While we were out riding in the forest, a cub scout camp-out sprung up along both sides of the trail leading back to the parking lot.  So we rode by tents, and camp chairs, and wagons, and of course ... cub scouts running and screaming all over the place.  It was great exposure for Misty and me.

Hope you all are doing well.  I really need to catch up on your blogs.  I'm sorry.  I don't have much time to be online.  My day job keeps me very busy and then there are evening barn chores to be done before I collapse into bed.  Any spare time I can find, well, I know you'll understand ... I'd rather be trail riding. 

Misty's Monday Muse - Walk the Dog

 
I took Mr. OnceUpon and the dogs for a walk.

My Lady came with us, 

but I had to carry her the whole way.

She is so lazy!

Everywhere we go, she insists that I carry her.
I'm OK with that.

The dogs set a fast pace.

I had to trot to keep up with them.

It was a nice family outing.

 

 

Take a walk in the woods,

Gone Trail Ridin'

Misty and I are heading to the mountains for 3 days of trail riding.   Unfortunately, daily thunderstorms are in the forecast and I'm a fair weather rider.  I have my rain slicker rolled up and tied behind the cantle of my saddle.  It makes me look like a real trail rider, but goodness gracious, I really don't want to have to use it!

 The trail boss said to expect rain and if we get into lightning, we'll dismount and make our way back to camp.  Yikes!  I don't do lightning.  I may chicken out on the riding.  But I'm going up there and camp out in my horse trailer, plugged into an RV pedestal,  with Misty in a pen next to me.   I'll play it by ear and see if I can summon my inner cowgirl and ride out from camp.

But lightening and thunder?  My inner cowgirl may choose to cower in the horse trailer and watch a movie on her DVD player.

We'll see.  But you know what they say, "When thunder roars, go indoors."  Or into your horse trailer.

Here are pictures of a recent fair weather trail ride I participated in.  I had a great time on this one.  There were 19 riders and it was a beautiful day.

 

Can you see Misty in the trees above?

 

Hot! Hot! Hot!

We are hot and parched here, reaching record high temperatures and in drought conditions.

Despite the heat, Misty and I participated in a trail riding clinic yesterday.  We practiced some basic riding exercises in the indoor arena, like turning on the forehand and on the haunches, backing, and side passing.  Then we rode out into a cow pasture where we worked on skills such as opening a gate, riding up and down hills, backing up a hill, and trotting on natural ground. We didn't do very well at the gate. Misty was scared of it, so the clinician had me just practice walking her up to it, positioning her parallel to the gate, rest and praise her, and then I would push the gate wide open and ride her through it.  It was a start.  We did great up and down hills and trotting in the prairie grass.  

It was so hot during the clinic, that I couldn't make it back to the ranch's barn before getting too dizzy to trust myself to stay seated upright in my saddle.  I had to dismount and walk Misty back to the barn.  I tied her inside and got a cold, wet paper towel to wipe my face and neck.  That helped.  I was hit with a very bad respiratory virus 5 weeks ago and I'm still trying to shake it, while continuing to work my day job and getting out on trail rides whenever I can.   Just when I think I've turned the corner and am feeling better, I push myself a little too hard trail riding and am exhausted for days afterwards. That's why I haven't been online much lately.

While riding in the pasture at yesterday's clinic, one of the riders pointed out a big plume of billowing smoke way off in the distance.  It wasn't there at the beginning of the clinic.  A new forest fire had started in the mountains west of Colorado Springs.

KRDO TV Viewer Photos

 Click on the picture to see more photos from KRDO TV in Colorado Springs.

The fire is zero percent contained and spreading fast.  Mandatory evacuations are in effect and the fire is now threatening homes.  Penrose Equestrian Center is accepting horses evacuated from the fire area.   They are sending out a plea for donations of hay, fans, and extension cords.

The cause of this fire is unknown.  No lightning was in the area when it started.  There were upwards of 20 arson fires set in that county last week. It's too soon and too dangerous for investigators to begin their work.

 Record high temperatures are forecasted again today; humidity is low, and afternoon winds are expected to pick and gust in multiple directions.  Not good!  And to add insult to injury, there is a possibility of afternoon Thunderstorms that will produce lightning, but little, if any, precipitation.  Not good at all.

We are nowhere near the fire, but can see and smell the smoke.  I can't imagine what the firefighters are enduring, working such a dangerous and physical job in extreme summer heat.  The news reported this morning that firefighters were as close as 20 yards away from flames rising 100 feet tall.  And they haven't had much time off in the last couple of weeks as they have been battling other fires in the region.

 Is your state on fire?  Check the InciWeb site for information on fires around the country.

Hobby Horse Blog Hop 15 - Countdown

This week Dreaming prompts us to answer questions related to counting down.  We can answer one question or all three.  I'm going to answer question #1.

1. Tell us about something you experienced which began with a countdown.

 This is my season for trail riding.  I've been looking forward to riding the trails with Misty for many years and this year we are finally clicking.

I find myself counting down the days (or hours, as is the case today) until our next trail ride.

Yesterday we returned to the park we rode on Memorial day and explored more of the area.  We had a lovely ride.  Misty is maturing, gaining confidence, and becoming a wonderful trail horse.  I'm pleased that she is comfortable in the lead, in the middle, or bringing up the rear when we ride in a group.  However, she has a big stride and is a forward mover, so it can be a little challenging to get her to take baby steps when we are following a slower horse. 

Here are a few pictures from yesterday's ride as we followed our friends.  I notice that Misty often has her ears tuned to me when we ride.  I think we are becoming a good team.

My question for you:

Do you trail ride?  If so, what do you always carry with you on a trail ride?

Misty's Monday Muse - Trail Ride

 
I took MyLady for a ride today.

We rode with my handsome gelding friends:

A Foxtrotter and Spotted Saddle Horse.

 
I walked through a forest of pine trees.
 

 

 I walked over lots of logs.

 

 

I took a big drink of water when I got home.

 

Then I enjoyed a roll in the soft dirt

while Mr. Once Upon cleaned my rolling box.
Thank you Mr. Once Upon!

  

It was a good day and

I was a very good girl.

Happy Trails,

Equine Identification and Microchipping

I've been thinking a lot about equine ID lately, especially as I get ready to do more trail riding.

I watched an ACTHA video recently that suggested attaching an ID tag to your horse's mane whenever you go trail riding.  So today I'm dropping by PetSmart to pick up an ID tag to braid into Misty's mane when I go trail riding.  Engraved upon it will be Misty's name, my name, and my phone numbers.  I think I'll doubly attach it to her mane with a leather string and an alligator clip.

Attaching ID to the horse's mane is suggested because tack can break and it is possible for a loose horse to rid itself of bridle and saddle.  Having ID on both horse and tack increases your chances of getting everything back should you become separated from your horse while trail riding.  Heaven forbid this ever happen, but it is good to be prepared.

SaraJane came home last weekend and while she was out for training, her rescue had her microchipped.  She came home with a brand new,  pretty pink halter with her name written on one side and "Microchipped Horse" written on the other side.

This morning I saw the news report below about Willow, the microchipped cat found after 5 years!  This amazing story really presents a good case for microchipping.

Do you microchip your pets or your horses? Do you have identification on your horse when you trail ride?

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Colo. cat, missing 5 years, is found on NYC street
By JIM FITZGERALD Associated Press The Associated Press

Wednesday, September 14, 2011 9:21 PM EDT

NEW YORK (AP) — A calico cat named Willow, who disappeared from a home near the Rocky Mountains five years ago, was found Wednesday on a Manhattan street and will soon be returned to a family in which two of the three kids and one of the two dogs may remember her.

How she got to New York, more than 1,600 miles away, and the kind of life she lived in the city are mysteries.

But thanks to a microchip implanted when she was a kitten, Willow will be reunited in Colorado with her owners, who had long ago given up hope.

"To be honest, there are tons of coyotes around here, and owls," said Jamie Squires, of Boulder. "She was just a little thing, five and a half pounds. We put out the `Lost Cat' posters and the Craigslist thing, but we actually thought she'd been eaten by coyotes."

Squires and her husband, Chris, were "shocked and astounded" when they got a call Wednesday from Animal Care & Control, which runs New York City's animal rescue and shelter system.

Willow had been found on East 20th Street by a man who took her to a shelter.

"My husband said, `Don't say anything to the kids yet. We have to make sure,'" Squires said. "But then we saw the picture, and it was Willow. It's been so long."

ACC Executive Director Julie Bank said a scanner found the microchip that led to the Squires family.

"All our pets are microchipped," Squires said. "If I could microchip my kids, I would."

The children are 17, 10 and 3 years old, so the older two remember Willow, Squires said. As for the 3-year-old, "She saw the photo and said, `She's a pretty cat.'"

The Squireses also have a yellow Labrador named Roscoe, who knew Willow, and an English mastiff named Zoe.

"We had another dog back then, too, and I remember that Willow would lie with them as they all waited to be fed," Squires said. "She thought she was a dog."

Squires said Willow escaped in late 2006 or early 2007 when contractors left a door open during a home renovation.

Since then, the family had moved about 10 miles from Broomfield to Boulder, but it kept its address current with the microchip company.

Bank recommended that all pet owners use microchips.

She said Willow, who now weighs 7 pounds, is healthy and well-mannered and probably has not spent her life on the mean streets of Manhattan. But there are no clues about her trip east or anything else in the five years she's been missing.

Squires seemed a bit worried about a possible New York state of mind.

"I don't know what kind of life she's had, so I don't know what her personality will be like," she said. When Willow disappeared, she said, "She was a really cool cat, really sweet."

The ACC and the Squireses were trying to arrange for transportation back to Colorado and health certificates and said it might be two weeks before the reunion. Willow may spend some time with a foster family in New York.

"The kids can't wait to see her," Squires said. "And we still have her little Christmas stocking."

Tranquil Trail Ride

Yesterday I rode the trail horse I dream of owning.

Oh wait...I do own that horse!  It was Misty!

Yesterday Misty and I went on a trail ride with two of our equestrian neighbors.  It was only our 3rd trail ride of the year.  The first two trail rides were good, but there were minor issues to work through.

• Drainage culverts to cross where the dirt changes and horse-eating pipes protrude from each side.
• Mountain bikers riding up behind us with little or no warning.  
• Tree stumps and gnarly wooded shapes that look like strange beasts.
• Hikers with dogs off-leash
• Misty trying to eat every pine tree we pass.
• Regulating our pace along the trail.  (Misty can be a speed walker)
• Circles, circles, and more circles.
• Motion sickness.  (Don't eat lunch and drink soda pop shortly before riding a draft horse with a big, lumbering stride.)

But yesterday the ride was different.  Within a few minutes along the trail I exclaimed, "I'm riding the trail horse I've dreamed of owning!"  Misty was very calm and relaxed on a loose rein.  I felt calm and relaxed, enjoying Misty's steady, rhythmic stride. The ride was beautiful and peaceful.  We are making progress.  And it was great fun to ride with friends.

Unfortunately I have no pictures.  My camera is hiding from me.  I know I could find it if I did some house cleaning.  But right now, this bumper sticker from Horse Hollow Press is my motto:

September is offering up some of the best riding weather of the year.  We must take advantage of it.  Soon enough, the snow will fall and there will be plenty of time for house cleaning then.  (I promise Mr. OnceUpon).

Just a Spoonful of Sugar

Sing it with me:

A Spoonful of sugar...or Dove Chocolate...helps the medicine go down
The medicine go down-wown
The medicine go down
Just a spoonful of sugar...or Dove Chocolate...helps the medicine go down
In a most delightful way!

I took my first spill off of a horse in more than 25 years.

It was bound to happen sooner or later, but I wasn't expecting it to hurt so badly and warrant a visit to the hospital.

Yesterday I took a day off work so Marley and I could go on our first trail ride of the season. I was looking forward to this ride, as I'd heard of this nice park with thoughtfully planned trails designed for equestrians. Unfortunately, we didn't last 5 minutes.

I went with a group of four other ladies. We had been on the trail for only a few minutes when we rounded a bend in the trail and discovered a big open space before us, surrounded by trees and buttes. We were all exclaiming how beautiful it was, when suddenly a loud, low-flying helicopter came swooping over a nearby ridge, down into the valley where we were riding, and buzzed right over us, scaring all 5 horses who were fresh from just starting the ride.

Marley started to bolt and run. I tried to employ the 1-rein stop I had been practicing, but he got his head down and started bucking repeatedly until he dumped me.

Thank goodness I was wearing a helmet. I put it on every time I ride, thinking I'll never really need it, but being sensible and cautious. I'm so accustomed to wearing it now, I would feel uncomfortable without it. But here is a case when I really did need it.

I always thought the visor on my helmet was just decorative or to provide a little bit of sun shade, but I discovered it has a more important purpose. I would have done a face plant into the hard ground, but my visor made impact first, sparing me from even a tiny scratch on my face. However, I did smack my head pretty hard and had an instant headache followed by dizziness. I'm sure it would have been much worse had I not been wearing a helmet, because I basically landed on my head.

I was embarrassed and disappointed and hated adding drama to a ride that had barely begun. My kind friend escorted Marley and me back to the parking lot, while we wished for the others to go on and enjoy their ride.

I was really hoping this would be a summer filled with trail riding with both Misty and Marley. We've been preparing, but you can't anticipate everything that can happen on a trail ride. How on earth can you prepare to be buzzed by a helicopter? That is just a freak thing. I hate to think someone would do that deliberately, but I do believe this was a mischievous, mean-spirited pilot out joy-riding and getting his kicks by scaring horses with his helicopter. He was flying way too low and flew right over us.

My friend graciously gave up her trail ride and drove Marley and me home. I was still dizzy and had an aching head, so my step-daughter drove me to the Emergency Room where I was examined and given a CT Scan. The radiologist found no bleeding in my brain and no indication of a serious problem. The ER doc said I got my bell rung, but that my helmet was my saving grace.

I still have a slight headache, my back is aching, I've pulled a muscle in my abdomen, my legs are sore and I'm hobbling around kinda funny like. This ole body doesn't bounce like it did in younger years. So I took a sick day from work to recover from my vacation day, intermittently napping and watching TV, and chasing my regularly scheduled Percocet pain killer with Dove chocolate. I figure if the Percocet doesn't do the trick, the chocolate will.

Now comes the challenge of getting back in the saddle, working through the fear, and trying to learn from the experience so I can handle future riding challenges better. I wonder if I could have done something different. I probably need to be more aggressive with my 1-rein stop. Maybe I need to swap Marley's snaffle bit for something with a little more leverage. I don't know. It happened so fast. But next time I hear or see a helicopter, I'm going to dismount immediately.

And now it is time for another nap.

I'm grateful for well designed riding helmets and good friends and family who looked after me.

Holiday Trail Ride

Independence Day
in the U.S.A.

This morning Marley and I hit the trail for a holiday ride. My husband and another couple walked the trail while I rode Marley along with them. Marley was relaxed and calm and willing to match his pace to that of the 2 legged walkers. We encountered horses, joggers, dogs, and mountain bikers; Marley took it all in stride. However, we did have some arguments at a couple of really large mud puddles, but we got through them.

It was a good ride considering it was only our 2nd trail ride together, and not in the company of other horses.

We've had a lot of rain lately.

Get a load of this huge mushroom next to my husband's foot.
(Click to enlarge.)

After our ride, I gave Marley a proper bath. This was the first real bath he has had since I purchased him 12 months ago. His previous owners told me he hates to get wet and isn't a good bather. Maybe they bathed him in cold water. I ran warm water out of our garage and he was a good boy for his bath.

All clean and he's ready to go out to pasture. I thought if I put his grazing muzzle on and send him toward the open pasture gate, he'd be too focused on the grass to think about rolling.

What a silly thought.

Approaching the pasture, he seizes his moment and down he goes.

Coated evenly in dirt, he arises.

Now rid of that clean pony feeling, he enters the pasture.

Horses will be horses.

Holiday clip art courtesy of Webweaver's Free Clipart