Fun Before Irene ~

I can't even recall the past time I posted !! What an insane spring and summer. Zoe and I have been able to keep up with our riding pretty regularly getting some awesome investigating done with super expeditions here and there. One of our trips was SO many miles which we had to cover within a time frame ... a race to get home to meet the bus from summer camp --  which ended up in my horse a bit sore in the shoulder and requiring some professional massage (which she loved !) 

This particular report is the best ride we had before the big hurricane hit.  BCF Splash Dancer and Keri headed over to the floodplains for a swim... Splash's first of his life :)  Up until this point, we had plenty of rain and the river was high and fast.  4 days later- we learned just how high and fast that river could become with the arrival of Irene.  We won't be headed to the river until next year !

 

In addition to this being Splash's first swimming experience -- he also had his debut on the sidewalks of North Springfield !! 

We make our way onto the trail which follows along the airport.  Splash's first bridge !!


Right along this green airport fence is the perfect cantering lane until we get down into the woods and follow the river.

We enter the actual floodplains --  due to the numerous days of rain we've had up until today, it's a squishy trot.

If you remember, the only exposure Splash has had to water up to this point, was his trip up Mount Ephraim where he walked in a few shallow steams and muddy puddles.  This is going to be exciting... hopefully in a good way :)

After a good trot through the plains, we approached the river... and I spotted the eagle soaring.  There are eagles nesting along the floodplains --- we have taken the horses up along the ridge where they are supposed to be nesting, ( it's high, steep and scarey by the way along that ridge )  but this is the first time we have actually seen one.  Exciting !!

 

Here is Splash as he first enters the river. It takes him a bit to acclimate to the water -- cold and quite a current today.  Listen to the cicadas in the background.  I have not heard them since the tropical storm Irene hit !

He's not sure about all that cold water on his hienie !!  keeping his tail tightly tucked :)

 

Best Friends !

Here's a view showing the swift current on this day

Walking downstream was a breeze...  getting upstream HARD work against this. Once Splash got walking around and exploring the river upstream and down.. he relaxed into the experience and enjoyed himself.  You can see the effort walking against the flow makes a big splash. 

We walked almost to the other dam which forms Stoughton Pond- found a small beaver dam along the way with either fledgling herons or bitterns scampering back and forth. 

The water fluctuates from deep to shallow, with forks and splits, islands in between, loads of gorgeous scenery....  with the backdrop of the rushing river and bird calls as our soundtrack.

the flow of the water feels like it pushes us backwards with every step forward.  

Keri's nostrils flaring out with all her hard work swimming upstream.

  White caps !!

If you look closely -- Keri is sticking out her tongue.  Apparently, she was doing that almost the entire time.










We were having -- if there is such a thing -- TOO MUCH FUN !!

We spent a long time walking upstream and down.... played in the deep water off and on.



 Alas -- time to head home !

As we trot along the shore of the river on the opposite side, we scare up a pretty merganser family. I love these fellows.. so adorable with their red caps. They are a skittish crew though.







Capturing views as we trot along.. 

 Beautiful river  

 Here's a plane coming low for a landing

 

 A plane taking a glider up -- nice day for it but never my cup of enjoyment tea :)












 We spotted this misplaced gaggle of what looks to be Toulouse geese just as we came up under the dam tower. 

I am not sure if you can see the measuring strip on the "legs" of the tower....  here is what it looked like during Irene. It ultimately reached 81 feet. 

and those geese --- for some reason they were still there 5 days later, somewhat stranded.. now there is the reasoning behind the exclamation - 'Silly Goose'

Just a tidbit of trivia... it was the dam and the floodplains that saved our area from being washed away during this past storm.

There is still far too much water and as I mentioned, we won't be getting near this river until sometime next year.

 

On our way home -- we trotted up the roads of North Springfield past the bus garage.... Splash had last bit of goofing and he and Zoe practiced their haunches in along the yellow line :)

For some reason -- blogger is not being kind to me today.  I began this post this morning and finally quit in frustration, only to come back and finish it this evening.   Is anyone else experiencing whimsical and nonsensical behaviors on Blogger lately ?

I put together the video I took - it's on you tube here in case you want to see all of our antics. 

Enjoy ~

 Keri and Betsy, Zoe and Splash in Vermont...