Sunday Afternoon Ride

I rode AhD all Sunday afternoon, and we explored lots of new trails off of Back Street. Here is the Secret Garden. I think if you make it larger, you will be able to see all the beautiful tulips. In the summer, it is loaded with blue English delphiniums, one of my favorite flowers.

This "bridge" is made of the tile wallboard you find on bathroom walls, with a few sticks nailed across it for traction. Needless to say, we didn't cross on the bridge! AhD had a nice drink and splash in this brook.

This was a first for us, a new trail to explore! It was quite pretty in early spring, so I can imagine it will be beautiful summer and fall.

This is where I attempted to fill in the trail over a rotting culvert. I spent about 15 minutes trying to build it up, but I was unhappy with the result. I haven't taught AhD to jump on cue, and he is very good about stepping over things, but this was just too dangerous. He waited somewhat impatiently, and he wasn't too happy when I finally gave up and searched off the trail for a path through the woods where the saplings weren't too close and we could cross the brook. It took me a while and sometimes I was out of sight. I found a good spot to cross the water where it wasn't too rocky ~ the water seemed to be running along an old stone wall ~ and then AhD mowed over several saplings on our way back to the trail. He is awesome making his way through woods! We found another new logging trail and a bog in the middle of the woods. I thought, hmmm...a bog, hope I don't run into another moose out here.

Back out on the road again. We passed the trailer where the dachshund and the rottweiler lives with no problems whatsoever.

We took another trail off of Back Street that I hadn't been on in ages, and then took a new turn off of that - another new trail! We took the steep downhill here, but turned right and the bottom and didn't go up over that mountain. This trail was super and I'll definitely take it again.

We went through an old overgrown apple orchard. It is impassible in the summer due to blackberry bushes and bees!

Next we rode through this field. I think this is one of the prettiest spots in town. We cantered back along the edge, and then came upon a beautiful pond that's on the other side of the Secret Garden, so we came full circle.

On the way home, we gave Thomas, Maggie and Hannah a ride down their driveway. Maggie told me that she will be taking riding lessons this summer! Awesome, another neighbor to ride with in the future!

Oh, another highlight of this ride, I RAN AhD for the first time since I don't know when...well, not counting the time he bolted on me last winter. :) This gallop was my idea! We both enjoyed it. Happy Trails to you all!