Top O' The Hill Farm: May Day Ride

This morning Zoe and I went for a quick ride for the first of May. We had already planned our route - over a trail we have not traveled in years. Part of it is a cross country ski trail, with some nice little bridges here and there and beautiful scenery and woods. I am not sure why this trail had become a forgotten memory.. but last week's adventure reminded us how beautiful it is.

Late in the afternoon last week, we got a call that 3 Curlies were on a lawn in Chester. We grabbed some halters, a grain bucket, lead lines and headed out by car. When we arrived to the location-- naturally the horses had ventured further into the woods, so we walked looking for evidence of which way they went. As we traipsed through these woods, we said-- next week we must get over here on horseback. We walked deeper and farther-- decided that those pesky horses had gone through to the other road onto Crow Hill. We went back for the car and found them another mile or so on a new lawn quite happily grazing. The thought of leading them back 4 miles was not so appealing to us at that point, so we tried to lead them with lead lines through window of the car. This was not working so well, the lead lines were rubbing the window gaskets too much as 1 or more horses would pull back or walk too slowly. There was danger of burning out the clutch in Zoe's car as well as we had to go so slowly up the hill. Zoe had the idea to tie them to the roof rack--- I protested that thought-- and it turned out I was right, because the roof rack popped off the car when 1 pulled back. Whoops.... Plan C. A neighbor offered to drive his little truck with us in the back, feet firmly braced on the tailgate. This was the slowest 4 miles I have ever traveled... 2 horses would trot along, 1 would balk-- then 2 pulled back while 1 decided she wanted to trot. Oh well-- I kept remarking... still better than walking ( I think). Turns out a tree fell across the fence in the back of the pasture and these 3 went for a curious trip. At any rate it inspired out May Day outing for which I am glad.

Today's ride was lovely - At the beginning a little pond, then into the woods.

Here's one of the little bridges that crisss cross through the woods.

The water runs under the stone wall here too.. which was hard to catch on camera.

At the old round baler which has been here forever, we take a left and from there get on another trail we ride on quite a bit. Today we took a slight detour to view another gorgeous pond.

And wait--- what do we see but a beaver enjoying a lazy swim, so we pause to watch for awhile. That brown dot in the water is a good sized beaver.. not being very busy today. I don't blame him.