This is where the magic happens on a regular basis. So many beautiful trails from wide and sandy, to narrow and winding. Plenty of spaces to trot and canter and five ravines with little creeks at the bottom where the horses can sometimes drink. 95% of my trails happen in this section.
It was a stinking hot day so I came prepared with water bottle.
Double wide trails with trees growing in the median.
Crazy as it seems, Im often alone on these trails rarely seeing another rider, jogger, or dogwalker. Occasionally we see foxes, deer, goshawks, wild turkeys, and owls. Some have also seen coyotes.
Some of the trails are narrow and windy, shaded from the sun.
Some of the trails are great for long canters or fast trots.
These trails are shared in the winter time with cross country skiers and snowshoers. Each sport has their own trail, and so the riders lose about 50% of the trails in section 2 from November to April. I dont mind, as it helps me better appreciate the trails when we get them back in the summer. The winter trails are groomed with machinery and are accessible all the time, even for my barefoot Q. We only stay in during the ice storms.
Our barn is smack in the middle of section 2 with the best trail access in the whole region. We always have tons of options for 20-30-40-90 minute trails that keep us close to home. So many loops, so many choices. The challenge of course is getting motivated to go on the trails that are further from home.
Annual Trail Rides: 34/200 A century ago, local farmers in our town west of Montreal were tired of the sand left in the spring thaw that clogged the streets and ditches and created floods and ice dams to prevent passing. So the farmers got together with the town and the province to fund a reforestation project which we would later call the "Nursery". The reforestation would cover most of the old sand dunes that had been left behind many millennia ago by a retreating glacier. The old sand dunes were a popular place for local families to go for a picnic, or some fishing in some of the creeks and lakes that popped up from underground springs. Our history books show groups of families with their farmhorses pulling big sleighs or wagons filled with children. But it was time to stop the constant erosion the sand dunes were having on the local farms. So in the 1930s began the massive reforestation project. At the time, the population of this town was under a thousand, as there was o...
I may come to regret this, but Im not as prepared for this trip as I was for Alberta’s epic trek last spring. In part because I havent ridden in 3 weeks. 😃 The days will probably be shorter (4-6 hours of riding) and its pretty slow riding because its over glacier rocks …. so maybe Ill be fine? Also looks like its just gonna be me and the gauchos as the other riders had flights cancelled last minute. So this trip will be Spanish (actually Castellano) immersion too. The last few weeks in BA has been momentous, from the run to the final of the World Cup, to the dozens of people who ran in the streets in defense of a small dog in a hit and run, to the amazing fresh fruit and vegetables, to the delicious food and mountains of gelato. BA is big, at times wild, messy and very passionate. I havent found much indifference here. But now, I have to figure out how to get my backpack to weigh less than 8 kg to fit all the clothes I need for weather ranging from polar sun to blizzard. Yes, I have l...
Annual Trail Rides: 118/200 One week left before vacation so it’s been a pretty busy time workwise. I had my first in-person event with my favorite client and while I was a little anxious at first, I was also so happy to see them. It went great, but the next day I was a zombie. Oops, I forgot about that feeling. So after a few days off from horse stuff, I schlepped to the barn planning for a nice quiet ride. With the cooler weather in the teens, I arrived to find Q lit like a fire breathing dragon. Uhoh. I thought I should let him have a good run in the arena but it was occupied. Oh well, Ill just tack up and go. I joined the BO and fellow boarder for a ride, and as we got to the sandy trails of sector 1 the BO asks me if Im still chasing a picture of the club kubota for the bingo game. Yes! She said she just saw one passing behind us, going left on another trail. My eyes grew wide, I told them I would catch hem later, I spun Q 180 degrees and peeled off at a trot. We turned left at th...
Zoom, zoom ... ouch. Finally one of the coolest days is here. Sunny, blue skies, low humidity and temps in mid-twenties. Perfect riding weather. Particularly after our surprise storm on Wednesday that left tons of debris and fallen trees and branches on the trails. Surprise storm brewing a few days ago. Within a few minutes, there were huge circular gusts of wind, almost like a Tornado. The next day volunteer crews were out removing the fallen trees. But some trails still have significant debris. I was heading out with trail buddy C and her azteca mare to explore section 5. I told her I needed some media for my summer challenge. She was happy to oblige not quite knowing what other objectives I had in mind. Most of the trail was lovely and I even tackled the jump trail, with a series of cross-country log jumps, for the first time. Q was just simply amazing, leading sometimes or in the back sometimes. The two horses have a trot that is simply in s...
I fell at a walk. My horse took off as I was screaming obscenities at the nearby dogwalker that let her dog chase us through the bush. Unleashed of course. My horse didn’t get very far as he stood twenty feet away from me, watching me with both eyes. The seconds before the fall are very blurry. I remember seeing the dog walker at a distance, but didn’t think anything of it. Then I heard the dog tearing through the bush to get us, the horse we were following bolted off, and I was not paying attention as I was putting on my gloves. My horse spun 180 degrees and literally left me hanging into a dead pine tree. I hit the ground fast but not so fast that I didnt shout six or seven swear words before my back hit the branches on the ground. I think my horse was spooked at his buddy bolting off, and all my screaming and swearing. I was so angry. But I do learn an important lesson every time I fall. Lately my lessons have been about my lack of awareness and my taking my horse for granted. On th...
honestly, you make me want to move to Quebec!!!!!
ReplyDeleteLa belle province!
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