Curly BLM Mustang,Sparky, is on the Photo of the Month - My Horse University

Hello Curly Friends,

Our Curly BLM Mustang, colt stud, Sparky is on the photo of the month on My Horse University.

http://myhorseuniversity.com/resources/etips/November_2010

This is a great newsletter and they offer on-line classes for horse owners. Check them out.

Angie and her Golden Curlies

RAC Mini Challenge - Chester shows off his ribbon at the Barrel Race

Hello All,

Folks at the arenas here in Texas are use to seeing my Curly Stallion Chester at the barrel races. Now, that it's getting a bit chillier they really turn and look as he has the most beautiful waves. Last night they had to ask about the beautiful ribbon he was sporting and we were more than happy to tell them all about Ride-A-Curly and our adventures.

Join us in Texas where we "ride the waves" year round{:>

Angie and Chester

Big hugs and Congratulations to our fellow RAC winners

a Good Lesson

Its raining...again. There is so much mud that we cannot wait for things to freeze up and get a good cushion of snow. We did have a couple of very nice days this week. I took advantage of that, though for not as long as thought I would be......the excitement in Linus on the weekend when I took him out really enforced for me that I have to play him out a little bit and help him expend some of that energy before we do much. I haven't tried lunging much since the May mini-challenge because I wasn't sure if I was a bad teacher or Linus didn't know what I wanted or both. So, Tuesday I went out with halter and carrot stick with the aim to teach him what I wanted no matter how long it took. I had the afternoon to do it if that's what it took. Within about 10 minutes Linus was trotting around me on the line. I didn't get it. Why all of a sudden did it click. I was being more assertive and projecting a stronger leader role so maybe that helped. But he is also older and more mature so maybe that played a role too. There was some bucking but I just took a strong step toward him and flicked the rope and kept him moving and he seemed to figure out that as long as he kept on the go things were calm. He stopped on whoa and turned to face me right away. I walked up to him and he dropped his head, licking and chewing. Then I swung the rope from the carrot stick all over his body just to make sure he was still ok with it. It was a really great session. I kept it short and then took him out to a pasture that we have moved the cows out of for the season. He had a good run then started going at what was left of the pasture. He should have new harness in a few weeks. I stumbled across a seriously well-priced website for horse tack. Its worth checking out. www.chicksaddlery.com

Watching Linus grow this past year has been pretty exciting. Hard to believe that by this time next year I will have at least sat on him, if not had a couple of short rides. I will soon have to take an "anniversary" picture since Linus has almost been home for a whole year. He has grown so much. Its truly been a blast!!!

From the Beeches to the Top of the world :)

Monday was a BRRRR kind of day -- we layered up for our ride on the first day of November.  I actually refer back to this as our Slow ride.... Keri and Teasel - normally excited to get out together - were definitely moving slowly and in the mood to stroll.  We started out down the paved road, swung left into the snowmobile trail headed for the ridge views. 

I think I snapped a very similar photo last year -- as we move from the forest out into sunlight.. here's a hint of the 'view from the top'.

Still in the shadows...

Looking out here, don't you feel as though you are, indeed, at the top of the world ?

And do I have to remind you that there are LOTS more photo's on the farm blog ?? because I just love clicking that shutter for a view :)  

We mosey along the ridge top soaking up the heat of the November sun admiring our world from one of the best places to be -- in the saddle atop our favorite mount !!

We trot down into the valley into the woods again... which way today ?






We climb back up where there is evidence of an old homestead -- with all new growth trees you and the stonewalls.. you can tell there were once fields.

I took this same photo last year... an old well blending right in with the scenery.  it's just too overgrown in here to do any exploration to find if there are any old cellar holes up here. Was there a hard working farm family nestled up here once ?

The forest trail leads back down into the valley again -- where we find another beautiful grove of beech.

  From here.. we trot down onto the back roads for home.  Just ambling along like two old Vermont cowgirls. While most times I do like a bit of 'quick' to my trip.. I was happy to stroll in this beauty and peacefulness with Keri and Teasel this fine first day of November.


Enjoy ~

Autumn riding with Sage and another Curly Mule update

Autumn is here! And, I have to say, it's my favorite time of year. Trail riding with no bug bites! What could be better? And gorgeous fall foliage all around as we trot down the road...I have certainly been enjoying the fall, in between nor'easters and other assorted Vermont weather of course.

Josie (our curly draft mule) is getting properly curly again! She came to use last March covered in curls but this time her coat is so shiny! It is wonderful to see her so healthy and happy out in the field.

Just had to share some pictures of her curls up close and personal. These are the waves on her butt. I figured everyone else would be curious to see mule curls. :)

And here's the best picture I have of the what I'm guessing are the biggest Curly ears on the continent. Any takers??

Curls on Jo's forehead. I am still having a lot of fun working with Josie, but wish I had more time for her. We played around with putting her blanket on last weekend and she did well until we got to the second surcingle. Then she had one hoof cocked and ready to go if I pushed her too much. So I didn't try to do up the second surcingle, just rubbed her flanks where she was feeling nervous and quit when she relaxed a bit. We're getting there with her, and the time and patience we've given her is starting to pay off. :)

This is from my most recent trail ride with Sage--it may be the last snowless ride of the year!

Sage on the autumn trail...

We got back when it was mostly dark. Darn these shorter days!!

Here's my wonderful trail steed in the field, hoping for hay pellets as I take his picture.

I'm not online much these days unless I'm making websites, but I did upload a bunch of pictures from our trail rides on Facebook, so feel free to friend me if you want to see more photos. Hope everyone else is having a terrific fall.

Brie

Long Walk

I finally got Linus out today for a much overdue long walk. We did about 8km and I forgot to change my boots...not the smartest thing I did in rubber boots this week!! We went up the road the opposite way to which we have most recently gone. Its been a couple of months since we did the whole length of the road. Linus was wound for sound the whole way. So, once we reached the end of the road, we crossed over the main road and kept going for another half a kilometre. It turned out to be great for him since we had to cross over the biggest bridge he has ever been on. It really made him look and flare the nostrils a bit but he braved it and crossed it. On the way back over it he picked up the pace and actually crinkled his muzzle a bit and threw his head up a little as if to say, I can do this, it doesn't scare me. He was really great with the bridge.

We sure did a lot of tight circles today though. He was very wired to be out on the road again. He used every little thing he could as an excuse to snort and prance and act like he was a little stud...which he isn't. But, eventually he calmed down and was pretty good on the way back home. He had a lot of people looking out their windows at him. Not too many people within that range have horses and the kids on the road just love it. Some people we met trick-or-treating tonight were disappointed that they missed seeing him.

Linus and Nessie (7months in the photo) are starting to play more together. Her breed is meant to be good with livestock. It sure isn't for lack of trying on her part!! She is always trying to play with Linus but is a bit shy and runs away if he tries to play with her. She is getting braver.

Hopefully we can get out again this week!

Beech Riding !

As I wrote on my farm blog this morning,  I still yearn for a ride on the beach after seeing Susan's post from last year along the NH shoreline ! This is as close to a Beech ride I am ever going to get I think :)

Friday, Zoe and one of our volunteers, Kelli, and I went out for a trot with Yemaya, Winter Dancer, and of course Keri.

We got into an area of forest which is primarily Beech trees ... very beautiful !! Beech are one of my favorites.



We took a short detour off the trail to ride by the pond for some glamour shots.  Since both Yemaya and Dancer are for sale -- I thought maybe I could get a few nice photo's of them with the pond as a backdrop.

You can see Dancer is tired.. she has not been out on the trail since 2009 !  What a trouper -- she was in the lead for much of the time and did not balk at a thing.

Yemaya is the champ at all she does... loves a nice trail. With her rich deep red chestnut coloring she is the perfect Autumn mount !!



Keri was somewhat antsy about this venture and she decides she is not going to stand much longer for this foolishness of posing and photographing and admiring other horses !!   So it's back to riding trail...

Through the white pine maze and on home !

No roaring of sea water crashing on the shores- but a nice Beech ride none the less. :)


Lots more photo's - as usual -- on the farm blog :)

Our neighborhood Ghoul says.. Happy Halloween :)

Trail Walk

Last weekend here was absolutely gorgeous and I took full advantage of that to take Linus out. As you can see, he is really growing!! I think I mentioned that my farrier couldn't believe how much he had grown in the last 8 weeks. His mane is finally about to flop over too...we won't be trimming it next spring!! lol.

Linus has been a very good boy when I take him out lately. Despite the weather from preventing us from getting out as much as I would like, he has behaved exceptionally well for his age. He is maturing a lot I find. I still keep reminding myself he is only young when I do have him out and he has his moments. Last weekend, we went up the trail beside the farm again and into the open fields. He took full advantage of what was left of the green grass there!! I enjoyed our quiet time. I did have to remind him on the way back up the trail that just because he wanted to spend the entire day down there eating, we weren't going to!

This morning I got a call from my husband who had just dropped our son off with my Mom at the farm. He was calling to tell me that Linus had been loose when he got there (the farm is very far off the road, so no worries that he would go up the road) So, Stu had put him in the barn. It was the first time he had handled him in a long time. He too found him huge!! Stu did let me know that Linus was a good boy and let him go through the barn doors first after Stu had put a rope around his neck to put him in a pen. Turns out a deer had run through the fence for his pasture and Linus likely chased it back out again. They were probably playing!!

So, I spent my lunch hour today fixing fence and putting Linus back out. We shared a nice hug in the barn first though where he wrapped he head around me. It was great!!

Riding with color

I am cheating a bit -- as this is a beautiful trot out Zoe and I took 2 weeks ago.  This was a trip that ended up being quite a zig zag of places and sights as we changed our minds several times as far as direction. We did have a few destinations in mind... just how to get there was pick and choose as we trotted a long.  We found some nice autumn color and as always some super views.

One of our goals -- this stonework which we had spotted on another ride out where I had not brought the camera. Today we decided to return there for photo's.  This is all along a brook at the bottom of quite a steep ravine.  Some of the stonework appears to be old... some newer additions - all of it in pretty good repair.  Not sure - maybe these are old root cellars ?

There were several bridges -- Keri and I stand on one of them to catch a photo of the more impressive one.

There are many more photo's on my farm blog if you are curious to see more of the travelogue in pictures :)

On our way to the next stop -- beautiful fields of the old Boedtker family farm.

The Pleasant Valley cemetery which is the Boedtker family plot.  This cemetery dates back to the 1700's with two revolutionary soldiers buried here. 

Zoe and I and Keri and Teasel walk around reading the inscriptions and enjoy the view. A very beautiful peaceful place.  We spy another trail we decide to investigate --

which leads out into a large hayfield with excellent views. But nowhere do we see any more trail from here -- so backtrack - and head out Boedtker Road toward home base.

Back roads of Vermont are indeed beautiful at this time of year.

Here's the best view of the day -- This was an superb ride -- although quite long since Zoe and I kept changing our minds about routes and direction. We did not stray all that farm from home but meandering in a somewhat erratic manner all over the mountain and valley -- we covered a lot of trail.



Keri and Teasel are the best :)   If you do happen to mosey over to my farm blog you'll see the nice ICHO awards this adventurous team earned for hours and miles.  I am pretty happy about it :)

Enjoy your day -- I can't believe it's almost November !

More Fall Riding Goin' On

Yep, Didder and I made it out and about again last weekend. He was feeling very...spicy. I don't think I have a single picture of him where he isn't holding his head taut and high.I think he looks quite regal in this photo, don't you?

There is no deer hunting allowed on Sundays in Maine, so my son Ian and I donned red and orange(just in case of anyone searching for a wounded deer), saddled up, and headed out behind the house. The woods were so beautiful! Tons of yellow leaves still on the trees, and a litter of multicolored ones line the wooded paths.Bright reds can still be found, even though it is late in the season.
AhD likes riding side by side.Almost like the Keri/Teasel pair. ;0) but with mother/son aboard instead of mother/daughter, and if we trotted, AhD would leave Al in the dust.
Here, AhD has spied my daughter out walking the dogs along the powerline. I am glad we did not come upon them suddenly. I yelled out a greeting to her, and when she answered, I could see AhD visibly relax. My nephew uses that bench to site in his rifle, and what with all the shooting going on lately and the new targets here and there, AhD's curls have been ruffled for a solid week.

Happy Fall trails, fellow RACers!

Back to Blogging :)

Computer troubles mostly have kept me away from posting... but not from my riding/driving adventures. The farm has been a busy place -  seems I am always
preparing for winter. The riding center hosted many fund raisers and BBQ days for our groups. Now, it's the season for hunting in the woods.


Currently, it's bow season (rifles for turkeys until noon).  Zoe and I have sneaked carefully onto trail where it is wide, but have been riding road more.  Even with hunting, we have seen plenty of deer -- and record breaking flocks of turkey families.  Above, we are in the pine woods at the top of my little mountain.

Mid October - we rode Keri and Elektra up and over Mount Ephraim to get some views of the leaves. The opening at the half way mark is almost prettier than the one at the top.

Hikers can stop here for an inspiring picnic.

This is about the only section of trail which is not a climb.  The foliage is not spectacular this year due to our drought -- then buckets of rain and wind.. all the colorful leaves are on the ground...  but today is a beautiful fall day and the trip is quite scenic today.  Of course, I am always happy to be out with Keri -

Right about here, we have two choices of trail -- travel straight and we will come down off the mountain into Dutton District -- turn right and we continue along a fairly steep and ledgy climb to the top. We are going to trot through Dutton District but we will take the trail down the backside to add length to the ride :)

Zooming in on what little color we have left in the forests. The day we trotted out on this trek was actually peak leaf peeping.. so you can see it is not anything like other years.  Still pretty.

Just about at the top.

I don't ever tire of this view.. it's so peaceful.



Down the backside of the high point.. turn right and trot into Dutton District.

From here, we trot along back roads until we can get into a nice trail at the end of Grover Road. This is a beautiful winding trail full of ups and downs like a roller coaster -- stream crossings in little valleys and back up again. This is one of our favorite trails to trot and canter-   I did take video of our FAV driving pony OYY Nimue on this trail trotting through the narrow tree lined trail during the summer. That was FUN :)

 Elektra by the way has to work hard when she is out on the road and trail ... she still is required to hold her bend and travel correctly.   

A great trip -- refreshing.

I have a few more trips full of color and views which I will post another day -- Zoe and I did accomplish a dream trip one Sunday... we were dropped off in South Woodstock and rode home from there. This was something I have wanted to do forever and it was an outstanding journey on horseback :)   Here is one photo of that trek -- you can read all about it on my farm blog. As usual I took armloads of photo's. We traveled through many towns -- Woodstock, Brownsville, West Windsor, Ascutney, Weathersfield, Reading, Perkinsville and I am not sure where else.

I have a couple of awesome trips planned for the weeks coming up... hoping for decent weather on the right days .. I know our horses are more than ready !!

When Miss Elektra is not climbing mountain trail she is in the ring winning ribbons. She and Zoe worked hard this summer and attended quite a few shows.

Not the most flattering photo of Elektra but she and Zoe won some nice ribbons at their last show of the year..  Elektra has won the Reserve Champion for training level this summer --
this fall show She earned Champion for training level that day ! Great job Girls !!



Enjoy ~