I wish I came here more often. It has so many beautiful sections. It is plagued by some boggy trails with mosquitoes and we have to cross a busy road to get here. But once here, Im always happy!
We found some wooden trails with occasional muddy spots to go trotting in. I took this video with my trail buddy J and her big percheron mare.
Buffet! I struggled to keep Q on the path and focused.
Much galloping happens on this path!
This section has a few streets that we have to cross. But there is practically no cars here.
Q enjoying the view!
The hunt field is one of my favorite spots. And the sun was out in full force with a cooling breeze.
It was a gorgeous day, and the sights were beautiful. With the tardy summer, the trails were a bit muddier than usual. My friend with her big percheron mare struggles with her soundness, and did not like the muddy trails one bit. She would have much rather stayed on the tried and true section 2.
But I am glad I went, and I am looking forward to going back. Perhaps solo. Q is getting to be quite solid going solo and I think we can do this.
My husbands budding green thumb has prompted our withering backyard grape vine to provide us its most abundant harvest yet. Buckets of grapes from a single vine! The grape varietal is unknown, but hardy, small fruit, tart, green, and with a slight blush when mature. We picked them all last night as they are starting to be eaten by birds, squirrels, and falling to the ground. Now the questions what do we do with them? We have tried jam (delicious), persian-type stews, verjus. They are too tart to eat, and we dont have the equipment to make wine. Im thinking of making more jam but sweetening with apples instead of sugar, freezing some for stews this winter, and making some verjus to replace lemon in my water. Any other ideas?
Had a great and fast ride with C the lovely intern. It left both of us (yes, even the spry 20 year old) exhausted and sore. Neither of us wanted to ride today. Here are a few clips from our trek. Q was happy to get some chill time. He really could care less about having a clean tail and mane. But I care! As a special treat I let him eat a beech tree. He enjoyed it more than the grass at his feet?!? Tomorrow I climb back in the saddle. Heatwave warning for the weekend so it will be easy riding in the shaded trails.
Surprise! Surprise! A bit early this year, but perhaps a sign that we might have a Green Christmas … because irony. Horse was way too spicy than he should have been, so we kept it to a long distance trot in mostly sandy tracks. Twas a good one. Such a good egg.
Seems fitting to end the year of confinement and hibernation with a month of summertime sunshine and sunsets. Q is on vacation too, but getting the occasional grooming so he doesn’t turn feral. 5 weeks of bliss and then its back to winter.
The joys of shorts, sandals, blue skies and bright yellow sun for 18+ hours a day are over. We returned last week after a 24 hour monstrous return, without our baggage because thats the lingering issue of the day in the airline industry, and with a tickle in my throat. 3 days of suffering later, our bags showed up and I finally made it to the barn. Q’s reaction was priceless. As soon as he heard my voice, he flipped around, head in the air and seemed to say: « waiiiit … WHAT??? … where YOU been? » and proceeded to grope me with his nose. He was hot to trot and our first ride out was a bit edgy. We secured some babysitters from the barn to take us out on trail in what was some of the most beautiful winter wonderland. We kept it at a walk those first two days cuz Q was ready to bolt with excitement. Then I played hookie and ran out to the barn early in the morning to see what he had under the hood. Alone and without fear for any other riders or trail users, we tested Q’s energy and self ...
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