Skywriting, roads, redbuds and tents

After some much needed rain this past week, it finally cleared up enough to get the horses out a little. Poor Flag has been getting neglected as I got Hank ready for the ride, and hubby has been out of town. So Saturday I saddled up, and took Flag for a ride down our dirt/gravel road for about 6 miles, then turned around and headed home. He has such a good work ethic. Just chugs along, rarely spooks, and goes like he has some place to go. He is not big, but he has an awesome, quick walk. The road was starting to dry and was not as soft as I had hoped the footing would be, but it was not too bad.

We have been playing with riding with the GPS, and then downloading our rides to a website called "Motionbased" Pretty cool site. It will show you a map, with the course you did. Some on line friends have been playing with doing what we call Skywriting, where you ride the shape of your name, and then download it to the map. Below is the photo capture of how my name looked after I rode it in my pasture.


Sunday I decided to head to the trails, and try to ride some of the more sandy areas, and just walk, as I knew we would have some mud. I again rode Flag, and took Hank along, and ponied him along side Flag. He had not been out all week since the ride, and was seeming to enjoy it, even if he does not like Flag much. Once and awhile I'd see his Shadow reach towards Flags butt, and I'd scold him.

I was seeing what looked like cart tracks on the trail, and had guessed it was the LDS group,doing a Reenactment of the migration west. They dress in 19th century clothes and travel the trails pushing and pulling handcarts like their ancestors did in the 1800's. And sure enough, I came around a corner, and set up beside the trail was a bunch of tents etc. and all the folks doing chores,making fires, cooking etc. Now this of course was very exciting for the horses, who knew they were just not to be there. They did have a porta-potty parked pretty much on the trail, and a couple trash bags next to it, that the horses had to pass a couple feet from them. We went slow, and let the horses look at everything.


One of the carts was parked in the middle of the trail, and no easy way around it. They asked if they should move it, and I said it was fine, but the tent stake and tie rope to a tent very close by could be moved, and then I'd have room to pass between the tent and hand cart. (gave me about 8') I was very pleased with the horses, who never really wigged out, and just looked at everything, and went right where I asked them. It was a great training session, and I was glad they were camped next to the trail I was on! Oh, as I was leaving their camping area, I heard one guy ask another "got any duct tape??" I guess they do not take the supplies to the same as available back in the 1800's.

And finally, spring has sprung! The Redbud trees are blooming, and are a lovely colorful contrast against the dull, leafless bare woods, and dull yellow / brown grass. You will ride along, and all of a sudden see a bright pink burst of color, shooting out from an area surrounded by colorless trees.


Just one more sign that winter is on the way out, and before we know it, the temps will be in triple digits, and we'll be saying "hot enough for ya?"

When I finished, Flag had some suspicious muddy spots way high on his butt


Geeee Hank, I wonder how those marks got on Flags butt