Snow Check

What a great day for a ride - and Beel opted for the mountain to do a snow check; can't blame him for being tired of 'town' scenery.

This is definitely much better - and nice and dry.

Anyone who recognizes this as a mobile couch is so right. For the last seven years, we had sent the horses to a special mountain area for 5 - 6 months, to run wild like their ancestors.  They always came back trim and fit from running the mountain and fending for themselves.  This winter, that property had been sold, so the horses had to spend all winter at home, dry-lotted and dependent on us for food and care.  We usually have a notoriously cold, snowy and windy winter, so I tried to get them prepped with lots of hay, beet pulp and a top dressing of complete feed.  Well, about six weeks ago, I realized that between the milder weather we have had, lack of mountain climbing, and all that TLC, under all that gorgeous winter hair - we had some fat horses!  So, they are on a weight loss program as we speak.  Everything has been cut back - gradually - and  both boys look pretty darn good ... and then there is Jesse.  She's trying hard to lose a few pounds, but we all know how that sometimes doesn't work, so an exercise program has been added.  She gets 'road work' nearly every day and I can tell by her stride that things are improving - but you sure couldn't tell by her looks.  Gotta say - she sure is a comfortable bareback ride!!!! (however, I can't get my feet down under my hips where they belong because someone is too wide).

There's a trail here somewhere; you can sort of see it.  What you can't see is how much the trail drops below the snow line.  Jesse's thinking it over.

After some decision making, the outrider trail seems negotiable, until we come to this downed tree, and this is after Beel has broken some branches off.  More stubs come off and Ranger says it's OK to cross, as long as you go all the way across.  However, Mr. Beel wanted him to stop a-straddle of the tree to make remounting a little easier.  Say What!?!   No, no, no.  You must CROSS the tree, not stand over it.  So, a short training session later, Ranger dutifully straddles the tree and let's Beel climb aboard.

Now Miss Jesse has patiently watched all this as an observer, so when I ask her to cross the tree, she nicely 'parks' herself straddled the tree, because this must be what we are supposed to do.  Only problem, I am already on her back!  A nice pat and a giggle, and she walks off like a champ.

Shortly after the tree, we decided the trail was too chancy, so we headed cross country (who doesn't like bush-whacking?) through the timber and - hopefully - not as deep snow patches.

Now Ranger is a high desert Mustang, having been born and spent the first eight years of his life on the lava flats of northern Nevada, so he knows you never pass up a water source, be it a stream, lake, or ... snowfield.  That boy turns into a snow shovel, scooping snow as fast as he can walk.

 After climbing back up the slope, we had to practice Obstacle 101 for a few.

On the way back to the highway, Beel and Ranger did their impression of 'Dead Cowboy Riding'.  It was just a really fun day.

As we got to the highway, Jesse did her best 'pretty please' to NOT go home yet, so we rode through town, a bigger challenge than expected when we got to the turnoff and discovered some tree work going on with a large chainsaw - right next to the road.  They showed their brave side and sidled right by with just a twitch of the ears.

Hey, there's the Post Office; let's get the mail.  Not many towns let you park your horse out front of the Post Office.  While there, we even visited with several neighbors who stopped in; and a couple horses we know got lots of pats and hugs - almost as good as carrots.

Modern day Pony Express - life in a small town is G O O D!
Bionic Cowgirl