Fall colors me happy ~ part 1 of 4

We returned from our annual Fall Horseback Riding Trip feeling tired and happy. The trip was fantastic! Full of all the things we dream of, and more. Instead of cramming every wonder spinning around my head, into one long marathon post, I'm going to break the days up. To reflect, and hopefully inspire, both you and I to do more of what fuels our souls.

The long awaited day to head north to explore the Nicolet National Forest finally came. We packed everything we could think we might need, and then some. Rain coat, warm coat, light coat - it's better to have it, then wish you did. In Wisconsin, Fall weather is anybody's guess - and you might need all three coats on any given day!

With the truck & trailer loaded we headed up to Iron Horse to pick up Koda & Nemo, eager to put the traveling behind us. We arrived up north to find our cabin just like we left it. Warm, clean and welcoming. The cabin is not really ours, but it feels like it.

The boys were anxious to get out of the trailer. Koda & Nemo seemed to instantly recognize where they were, before they even stepped out. We got their paddocks set up, with hay bags & water, and quickly unloaded the truck. We saddled up, and headed out - wasting no time getting out on the trail. It was mid-afternoon, and there was only so much daylight left.  

In years past, heading out on the trail was a much lengthier process. We would typically lunge, then warm up riding in the outdoor arena, and then head out. We started coming to Spur of the Moment Ranch when the boys were three, they are six now. What a difference a couple years makes! From being young bug-eyed, thinking rocks and everything else are going to eat them, snorting at everything, high-headed, random backing/refusing - to being generally aware and wonderfully willing. I am so very grateful, we have such wonderful horses in our lives.

All rides start out on the multi-use trail, an old railroad bed. You have to take it to get into the forest. We weren't on the trail headed south for even five minutes when we came upon our first ATV's. I thought "great way to start off on cold horses" not fully realizing how much our horses had grown-up. But you know what? Our horses didn't care about the ATV's this time either. For the past three years, all the four wheelers we have encountered slow down, giving friendly smiles or saying hello. It helps that the trail section we ride has a 10 mile per hour speed limit posted. Most of the time the multi-use trail looks like this...

...as we shuffle along my hubby notices something on the ground. Whoops, whatever it was I rode right over it. Brad double-backs, wondering what it could be? Turns out to be a rusty old railroad spike. Cool! I think to myself, I'll pick it up on the way back. It would make a great souvenir. 

It wasn't too long before we made it into the forest along beautiful route 64...where a mosaic of trees intermix. Birch, evergreen and hardwood co-exist in an ever changing pattern. A soft carpet of red, orange, and yellow leaves blanket the greenish paths. Some more pronounced then others. Brown leaves crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch methodically, as we walk along with a familiar steady beat... 

...we round a bend, and everything changes from a golden yellow glow to a warm red glow. Sigh. Notice the difference in the trees...I am absolutely fascinated by them! There is no place I would rather be...

(no color enhancement)

 

...this first ride is pretty quiet, as we soak it all in. We get to the end of 64, and resist the urge to forge onto another trail. Getting lost in the forest in the dark, isn't something I aspire to do. Instead we turn around, and the shadows get longer...  

...looking up, the trees are sooo tall! Hard to capture height in a photo. Majestic trees tower over us, reaching for the sky, in all their colorful splendor... 

Funny how the same trail can look so different from year to year, add changing direction & light - and it's a new trail all over again! 

We head back to the ranch the same way we start, and get passed by another ATV. Nice guy, clearly a local puttering along. Wait - what is he doing up ahead? He stopped to pick up that railroad spike we saw earlier. Bummer! I tell Brad I was going to do the same thing, apparently he was too. Oh well, can't lose what you never had. 

The ranch is quiet. It's mid-week, and we are the only ones in the cabins. Koda & Nemo go back to munching hay, and we go out to eat to do some munching of our own. After the past rainy week, we are blessed with beautiful Fall weather and a great start to our trip! Tomorrow we head out and ride north...

Sunday Stills ~ Landscapes

View from above the Nicolet National Forest in WI 

a memorable rainy day

You find a day that aligns, and make plans weeks in advance. Those that need to, put in for a vacation day from work. It's officially on the calendar, we are going on a group trail ride! The first & only one this season. Plans are to take three experienced horses, two of which are Nemo & Koda, a rider with fear issues & her mount, a trail horse that needs some re-training, and two young newbie horses, one of which is Cierra. The weather has been great, and everyone is reeeally looking forward to doing something different!

We pick a place to ride with easy terrain, and make plans to grill for lunch so we can double the riding fun and head out for a second ride. We carefully watch the weather as the day slowly approaches. Darn! Looks like rain is predicted. Not one day before, or after, just on the chosen day. Go figure. Weather patterns can and do change, so we hold tight to our plans. The forecast did change, for the worse. Not just rain, but now "violent storms" are possible. I don't mind riding in the rain, but violent storms... We try to reschedule the group trail ride, but things just don't match up. So what do you do? You come up with Plan B. If the storm front doesn't blow over, we'll ride in the indoor arena, grill out, and try to make it fun/different. 

The "trail" day came, and so did the rain. We hauled our trailer up, just incase. Complete with roping dummy (no, not me - the plastic steer head mounted kind) and our equine soccer ball. As to be expected, several riders cancel. Oh well, we can't change the weather. The girls working at the barn were excited to ride regardless of the rain, and that makes anything fun!! 

Several horses got introduced to the equine ball, and a little soccer happened with those that liked it. Koda learned to share, altho he never took his eye off his, 'er the, soccer ball. Of course nothing ever goes as planned at a busy barn, phones ring, people drop in, and needs are met, but we take it all in stride. Riding happened, fun happened, and lunch happened...mmmm the smell of charcoal grilled brats!!

In the afternoon between rain showers, six of us headed out for a make-shift trail ride on the property. Including a new girl who helps clean stalls, and has done limited riding. I am thrilled she got to join us. I remember how special those rare rides are. She rode old Skip the lesson horse, who doesn't leave the ranch. 

The two young horses learned to cross water with a large hoof covering driveway puddle, the rest of us practiced. Cierra didn't want to get her pretty little feet wet, but with our trainers redirections it didn't take long for her to walk right in. 

Since the ranch doesn't have trails, we rode in the pastures. After we rode the perimeter of an empty one, horses were cleared out of another. I regret not having my camera for that second pasture ride! There was some fun terrain. A large deep muddy water hole, a swampy grass area, and even a fallen tree in the swamp to ride low (or high) over. We took turns trying to help young horse # 2 learn that the water hole wasn't going to swallow her. Nemo was a trooper, and did the not so fun job of being the wall on the edge of the water hole. Apprentice Sammy did an amazing job riding one stubborn young horse, while being coached by our trainer. She eventually rode in and through the water calmly.

We rode separate, together, over, and through anything we could find - no single file riding. We laughed, and then laughed some more! I am pretty sure the horses had fun too, even the young ones. What a great group to spend the day with! In many ways, this turned out to be much more fun then the planned trail ride. It went so fast, before I knew it we ran out of time and never did rope. Something to look forward to, rain or shine.

Young people have such a bright spirit, they light up with the smallest of things. Things we too often take for granted. It was such a refreshing, memorable rainy day!

Buddies
Nemo & Koda, on a recent sunny day

21 fun riding salute

Having fun riding is not something you plan, it's something that happens. It helps to do things out of the ordinary, keeping rides fresh. 

We have been riding in a big outdoor arena a lot this past summer. I love arena riding, but it can get a bit routine. Over the poles, open the gate, turn in the box, cross the bridge, lope in circles, both directions, etc etc etc. That sounds like fun to me, and it is. But that's not the point.

Trail riding is fun. It offers new surroundings and obstacles. It's my favorite type of ride, for so many reasons. It's a different kind of fun. The kind we didn't do enough of this summer. 

I didn't really realize what riding for fun does for me, until I heard "You guys are so fun to watch ride. I'm always trying to figure out what you are doing". It made me think...what makes a ride fun?

Like most everything, fun is subjective. It doesn't have to involve riding. Unless you are having one of "those" bad rides, riding in general is fun. It's all in the approach. Mixing things up. But fun is not about doing, it's about being in the moment. Just riding. Having fun! Playing with your horses, so they are having fun too. Not thinking about XYZ. Forgetting about what lead you are on, or if your horse is straight, if they are doing whatever right, or what direction you are going next, or the all too familiar "what if ". Because, when you just ride, and are having fun, you ride naturally. You don't think about any of the above. That's my point. Natural riding is fun.

Lately, most of our rides have included "playing cow". We just let it happen. One of us simply wants to fun it up, and begins. We might see the other taking a break, and proceed to circle, or walking and offer up a drive. No words exchanged. It's easy to tell if it's not good timing. If it's not, whichever one of us will just mosey on our way. We don't even take turns, or we might. We typically keep it short. Just depends. Nothing is planned. We don't always play. But when we do, it's just for fun!

Brad & Nemo usually outsmart us, both are bolder and Nemo is faster. But guess what? Last Sunday Koda & I both realized something. We've got one thing they don't...it's called WHOA...and we all crack up laughing, every single time! No dumb cow here.

Last Sunday we blew up our big soccer ball. I can't remember the last time we played with it? I forgot how fun, and unpredictable a rolling ball is. Especially when there are obstacles all over the arena. Koda loves to play ball! Nemo is too dignified, but once in a while he joins in the fun too. We had a beeeautiful warm sunny Fall day. The kind you want to bottle. This is how Koda acknowledged the ball for the first time...

Koda falling sleep

 ...I couldn't believe it. My horse hasn't seen a ball in forever. He walks over, promptly rests his chin on it, and begins slowly closing his eyes. Once Nemo saw Koda falling asleep on the ball, he decided to check it out...

Are you sure this is for sleeping?

...and woke Koda up...

You know this thing rolls, right?

We had another great ride, mixing it up. We worked with poles, turns, played with the ball, loped, rode over the wooden pallet, played cow, and just had a day full of plain ol' fun riding and being together!! 

When I put Koda back in the pasture, I got this...

What about ME?!
(Cierra)

We haven't really played many riding games with Cierra, yet. She is still pretty young. But when we do, I know she is going to have fun too!!

What do you do for fun with your horses??