Best ride of the year !?

Monday- yesterday - I woke up to thick ice on the car and the tractor. It was chilly enough for me to return to the house to search for mittens or gloves ! The temperature must have dipped down to freezing for just long enough to make the ice though, because the flowers were not badly affected.

As for the tomato plants.. they were a total bust this year anyway- due to the tomato blight.. which apparently is lethal, incurable and right now- wide spread in the North East. So look for high prices on tomato's this year. My plants pretty much bit the dust - and in addition to the 'blight', I had the most Tomato hornworms on my plants than I have seen in my life time. Usually I will pick off a few here and there--but this summer in late August and September, I was getting over a dozen of these bad boys a day. The tomato hornworm moth is kind of neat.. a hummingbird moth- as it hovers and flies like a hummingbird.. but the caterpillar ? YUCK. I gave the job to my grand-son, Dominic. He decided it was actually quite fun to pick the nasties off the plants and squish them.

Zoe and I had a splendid ride on Monday.. we took Keri and Teasel and headed over Mount Ephraim but took a turn down a trail we have not ridden in a LONG time. This may have been our best ride of the year so far !

Last time I was on that trail on horseback, I was riding Keri's Mom - Tiarra; Zoe was riding her red half draft gelding Ollie and we were riding a 25 (which seemed like 30) mile competitive ride. In a freaky kind of event at the very beginning of the ride- I broke my hand... but wrapped it in vet wrap (which I had in my handy saddle bags) and finished the ride to come in first !

We mainly wanted to see how long it would take us to reach the end of the trail- marked by the 'brick house'.. as we are thinking to cross the highway into the Doran Forest and ride to Grafton one day.. something we have never done so we have no time estimate to plan with. The trail was a lot longer than we remembered.

Here's the road that leads to the Mount Ephraim trail.

As we near the top - there's a field where they are tedding hay. They drive up from the opposite side - the road is better traveling than the trail on my side.

Shortly after the open field, we turn right onto the trail toward Rockingham.. which should come down to the 'brick house' on Brockway Mills Road.

lots of mud puddles

We come to an area that was an old landing. There has been a lot of logging done on Mount Ephraim over the years.

This looks familiar and I think we are very close to the end now. Zoe has to be back to meet the bus for her children so we are on a timetable. However-- we don't want to turn back if we are minutes away from our goal.

We decide to trot over to take a look at the Gorge.. which is beautiful.. and one thought leads to another- we decide we can just as easily trot home down the Williams Road, past the Cranberry Inn, cross the covered bridge at the end- get on the road home. We think we can make good time and be home for the bus, plus- avoid backtracking.




As we trot down Williams Road- we see a small sign announcing - bridge closed for repairs. At this point- we are not wanting to turn back.. so either the bridge will still be crossable by horseback or we will find a way to cross the river. I guess we'll "cross that bridge" when we get to it :)

And there is nothing left of the bridge to cross- they are replacing the girders. I ask the workman if we can walk down the bank to the side and cross the river there- but there is silt fence all along the entire side for quite a distance.

There has to be a way--- we turn into some thick overgrown woods and brush to find a crossing. The bank is steep- and there is some type of tall weed - more like a small trees blocking our view of the river edge. Finally-- we pull a "man from snowy river' and slide on our haunches, down the bank, through the weed/trees and we are in the river. The opposite bank is even steeper still-- so Zoe has the idea to walk up river to the next covered bridge and see if we can get on the road home there. No idea how far this is -- but what an excellent idea !!

The Williams River is beautiful -

I take loads of photo's !~ We wander in and out of deep and shallow spots.

My good friend Susan in Maine just did a beach ride- and I am so jealous and envious.. so here is my little 'beach' ride... but a very stony beach and no waves.

little islands

really clear very cold water

This spot is quite deep - but so clear it looks shallow.

Quick stop here-- the rein came unbuckled on Teasel's bridle.

After what seemed like several miles, there is the Bartonsville covered bridge in view !

And nice sloping bank to exit the river onto the road.
once we get up onto the road- the horses canter almost the entire way home.. loads of fun.

We manged to complete a huge loop - and I have wanted to ride up the Williams River for years... what a great ride out :)

A very short video of our River walking

Enjoy your day ~

Another Full Moon Later

Looking at my blog... I realize it's been awhile since my last post. Another full moon has come and gone and my farmer tan is fading fast, like summer. Dog Days are long behind us now.. the smell and feel of fall has arrived. The nights are chillier, the mornings almost always draped in heavy fog, and evening's long shadow's sweep in fast after 4:00.

We've been busy- mostly with Dream On Curls Riding Center projects. Two big events back to back. Our Rider Appreciation Day on August 14th went super well (you can read about that on the other blog ) Next up is our BIG FUNDRAISER.. we are putting a lot of effort into this event as raising money for our riders is a huge priority for us. I will be posting news of that on the other blog soon- but in the meantime.. there are daily updates on our facebook page-- Actually I am just learning how to use my facebook- so I am not sure if anyone can access this page or you need to be a "friend" or a "fan". Check it out - and let me know ! :)

Zoe and I have been getting out for some great tours around the countryside.. me and Keri, Zoe and Elektra- since it is our goal to help build Elektra up muscle-wise to help her in her show ring work. When Zoe is in the ring practicing her patterns, Keri and I follow around doing the different Intro and Training Level tests.. kind of fun :) Keri prefers the Intro patterns- strictly walk and trot.. she will do the canter but she is not so keen on the discipline it takes to build the suppleness in the circles. Elektra- youthful and ready to try anything loves any kind of work you ask of her. Sometimes we work before our trot out, sometimes after we come back. We love doing the 10 mile loop which includes the mile long hill.

The town crew is out cleaning the ditches on the side of the road in preparation for fall rains.

This road is one of my favorites for trotting - any time of the year.

The other day- Tuesday.. we wanted to get out for a nice trot, but wanted a change in scenery. We headed down past the Four Corners and turned right up onto French Meadow Road- which is a nice trot- and it would give Elektra a chance to come home on the highway again on the last leg of the trip. We approached the opening to a trail we have not been on in about 4 or 5 years.. and decided to trot up that- for a real change in landscape. Traveling on the dirt roads is fun with Keri and Elektra as they are a great pair together and very forward-- but trail is often more fun. We do try to keep Elektra on more easy going open trails- just in case. Who wants a twisted ankle or stone bruise on a horse who is already entered in expensive classes ?

This trail has changed a lot in the last few years... we just may have to get over there again for more investigation. There are some new offshoots- not sure where they go. We did end up taking either a wrong turn somewhere, as we exited in a completely different spot - a little further from home- but no big deal... EXCEPT - about mid-way on the trail, I spotted a nice logging chain that someone had evidently dropped. Zoe dismounted and handed it up to me so I could drape it across my saddle-- trotting was a tad more difficult with that clanging and hanging. Keri was good about it and a new chain is a good find.

Once on the highway- Elektra had no problems cantering between fast and noisy traffic and the guardrail. She's just an awesome girl !

OYY Nimue has been nickering from the pasture to tell me she has not been out in a long time-- which is so true... I don't think she's been hitched since April. Zoe and I made some time to take her out during this week. She was great and I know she had as much fun as we did. Nimue is a trotting machine when hitched to the cart and she did not hesitate - with nary a jiggle to the cart as we flew down the dirt road ! Both Zoe and I were thinking however- driving seems like a more 'lazy-man's " sport- as we ended up wishing we had our sweatshirts on, as it was chilly in the cart. If we had been trotting and cantering- we would have been quite warm.

At one point, one of our neighbors - who loves to stop and chat when we are out with the horses - did stop the car and stuck his head right out of the window to chat... I was feeling kind of anxious about that at first- since Nimue is out on the road for the first time in so long and between us and the BIG HEAD sticking out of the window is a steep bank--- but all my momentary fretting was for nothing- Nimue was perfect. :) I can't wait to take her out again..but dang- I love being in the saddle too.. decisions and choices---

When we arrived back at the farm- Zoe took a few photo's and a short video of Nimue and I showing off.

Isn't she just a gorgeous driving pony ?

We had our annual visit from some great people who own two Top O' The Hill Farm Curlies - the Ray family- Mom, Helyn owns an appaloosa, but is going to purchase a Curly when she hits the lottery :) Her two daughters - Samantha and Sarah each own Curlies of their own and have done lots of pony clubbing with them. Sarah rides Daffodil, who they bought already started and Sam bought a weanling filly - OYY Lickity-Split out of Frostfire's Tadpole and Zoe's Day Dream. Sam has raised and trained her filly by herself and now Lickity is a rideable age. Both girls (now young women actually !) have done great with their horses and they should be very proud of themselves.

Here's Sam 5 years ago with her then weanling filly.

And Sarah on her lovely Daffodil - who is out of HoneyBee Gal and Col's Pasqualie Kid.

Helyn and I had the thought to organize a day where their entire Pony Club would come for a visit and see more Curlies and learn more about them. There are 3 Curly Horses in that Club- these 2 and another one from this farm as well. That might a fun day.

Yesterday was another 'farrier' day. The dogs wait patiently for trimmings to gnaw on. Nicodemus usually gets first choice.

Enjoy your day ~

Moonlight and Sunny days

Today is the third day of sun here on the top of my little hill in Vermont ! But-- this is not sun but Moon... Zoe and I rode out Tuesday night and found out-- the days are becoming shorter without our noticing it. We were not out really all that late-- but by 8:30, the moon was very full and rising.

I actually heard cicadas at the end of last week... so that means 90 days till the first frost.


Our two volunteers- Sara and Jenni- are riding if there is time between lessons. Sara is back riding Job quite a bit and may do a late summer show with him.. probably Intro test A and B which is all walk/trot. He'll be ready if she rides him 3 times a week. Jenni is riding OYY Ivan and is he ever pleased to be chosen !

The girls started out in the indoor.. as Jenni has only ridden Ivan once and that was last year. He has not been out under saddle in perhaps 2 months.. so they had a bit of 'getting to know you' time.

Didn't take long and they were ready to trot down the driveway to the big ring. Here's Sara with Job. lately Job has been used in quite a few lessons - he's such a gem of a horse and so versatile.

Here is a photo of him carrying some his precious cargo. Job is also great with the independent riders. Careful and safe.

One thing about girls and horses.. if there is mane to be braided.. they will do it !

Jenni and Ivan make a handsome pair

Seems Sara always gets the job of schooling the ponies ! She takes OYY Arcus out for his little trot. Arcus is great every time no matter how long it's been since his last time out.

Zoe and I took an impromptu "sidewalk" trot with Keri and Elektra the other day-- Elektra's first time into town, first time trotting on the sidewalks-- and then on the way home after some rough trail-- her first trot and canter up the highway ! She was awesome and enjoyed the trip immensely !

She is now officially another sidewalk queen...

OYY Elektra -- dressage horse, trail mount, super fun road hack and all around great girl !

On our trot home.. we saw a tag sale on the corner, So we stopped our horses to take a look. I spotted this !! What a find. I went back with my car in the afternoon to get it.

Almost a curly mane and tail !

I don't exactly need another dust collector but.. couldn't resist this.

he'll make a great farm mascot-- and easy to feed.


Enjoy your day ~

Monday trail ride and beavers at work

Monday is Keri and Teasel's day out. Where shall we go ? I suggested trotting up Fletcher Hill. We have not really explored up there much-- there are a lot of trails and we don't know where any of them go yet-- we started the trek by heading up my little mountain road headed toward Zoe's house.

Some of the trails are running brooks.

Lots of photo's of Keri's ears this morning. We trot by Zoe's house, cross the highway and trot up Fletcher Hill Road, where we have our choice of trails.

Because of the tremendous amounts of falling water we've experienced.. the woods are very damp.. the evaporating mists make it seem like we can see the sunshine.

We are thinking to try to head toward Ephraim and the "pink house' -- so we know we want to cross Pleasant Valley Road at some point-- so in choosing the turns, we try to get situated in that direction. There are so many choices-- we are definitely going to head back here for more exploration. A couple of times we turned around and trotted back to try a different turn.

We ended up behind the large beaver pond-- we've been on the opposite side many times-- never here.

As we look around-- there is still trail.. but silly beavers have begun construction on a little dam across the trail and are forming a new pond.



Keri is looking at that dam-- thinking... you are NOT going to ask me to hop that dam and walk through that pond ??

Yes- my dear lovely Keri-- that's exactly where we are going-- I can see the trail over and across. I actually took several photo's of this little dam partly to heckle Keri about it..



I know that's not particularly nice or polite-- but Keri and I understand each other and our little bratty digs at each other are merely tokens of affection :) Some days she's the brat-- somedays I am.

I am hoping the other side of the dam is fairly solid pond bottom and not sinking mud.. but my thoughts are.. it's a pretty new project since some of the saplings in the dam still have leaves on them... so the ground is probably still somewhat firm.



At any rate--- onwards and upwards-- back on dry trail, but we still need to get over to the other side of Pleasant Valley Road.

As we trot through the woods-- we see the road. In order to get across-- we need to travel down through someone's yard-- so a lucky co-incidence.. we know this person so I am sure she won't mind us using her property as a pass through. Doing some landscaping here..

Once on the road- we change our route a bit to add a little more mileage. We head down Pleasant Valley Road to Rassmussen Road-- which leads up past the Vista View Farm and ends up as a trail over Mount Ephraim. I have posted views from this farm before-- but so beautiful !!



onto the Mount Ephraim trail .. we got in some great canters here.






We arrive at the 'pink house' on top of Mount Ephraim.. one of my favorite places. Here is where Stellafane hosts their annual star gazing in the fall.

Views are very pretty !

The old Porter Turret telescope as you can see built in 1930.

They don't use this anymore as they have built a very new modern telescope. You can see the pink house in the background.

Well, according to the sun dial here.. it's time to get trotting home. It's actually 1:00... but I guess there's no way to adjust the sun dial to daylight savings time.

What a great ride-- some good exploration... lots of new trails we have never been on. We got in a nice brook walk on the way home.

We will definitely head out that way again !

Enjoy your day ~