Cookies, Sunshine & Riding

The title says it all - can it get much better than that?  GunDiva came up today for her second week's visit of equine therapy, but she also brought up a new cookie recipe, so before we could head out on horses, we had to mix up the batter which needed to be refrigerated for a bit.

We decided to go check a different set of trails, the ones down around the beaver ponds.  Again, sadness at the lack of moisture, but also joyous at being able to ride so early in the season.  Alas, GunDiva did not have as great a ride this time; Washoe was being his old Wonder-Idiot self today - everything from trying to steal grass to not listening to cues.  The ride started out pretty exasperating - but ended on a good note.  He started behaving himself about the last quarter of the ride.  Obviously the newness has worn off for him and he has to push the limits to see where those boundaries are,but he found them and settled in.

Today started out as a 'towel' ride, in an effort to keep our jeans slightly clean from shedding horses.

As we headed for the trail we wanted, Washoe sort of wandered off trail without being asked, so he ended up at the end of the line.  This is a classic Washoe pout on his face!

I ended up sore from today's ride, thanks to these challenging down trails - and my own feisty horse.  Jesse is definitely feeling better, condition-wise, and was a handful herself.

Bill did get a good picture of a couple of the beaver dams, however, to get this picture we had ridden into one of the ponds that no longer existed.  We can only hope more runoff will help fill it back up.

We did find this set of trails very overgrown with tall willow spires and lots of brush.  The warmer winter temps made for very fast growth on most of the shrubs and trees.

We had lots of challenges of all kinds, including small branches across water crossings, and lots of very low limbs.  I almost slid off Jesse's side crossing Rock Creek; towel riding is not very good for balancing on the side of your horse to duck branches.  On our way back up the steep trail, GD and I both lost our towels.  The horses were sweaty enough to make things really slippery by that time, and the towels simply slid out from between us and our horses.  Fortunately, Beel has a short horse and is willing to retrieve things for us.  (Thanks, dear!)

When we got back to the corral, Beel had to practice his version of neck reining.  Look ma, no halter.

Another good day in the woods - followed by some really good cookies, right out of the oven!!!
Bionic Cowgirl