A Day to Ride

Last week Mike was on vacation and I had a few days off as well. So, as most vacations go we had the week packed with stuff to do. I got one day to do what I wanted. I picked going to visit a friend who just so happens to have at least 20 horses.

Nikki and I have been friends a long time. I am pretty sure it had something to do with me having horses when I was a kid. She was determined to be around horses and since I had some she made it her mission to get involved. I really owe her for my own love of horses. I know I would not have done as much with them if she hadn't pushed for it. She is truly a horse lover and has been as long as I have known her. Even as a kid she knew she would have lots of horses some day. Now she runs Dun Dreamnin' Appaloosa Ranch. http://www.wildwebranchers.com/dundreaminranch.htm

She takes great care of the horses. Putting endless time, energy and money into them. Any money she makes training and selling horses goes back into the care of her horses. This is no easy task when you have as many horses as she has.

So when she asked what I wanted to do...go for a ride or check out the waterfalls nearby. I, of course, said I wanted to go for a ride. Even though she had to do most of the work getting the horse saddled up she is quick. It has been a while since I have had to do that so it was best to leave it her. Mike and I did brush our own horses...well, I did make a last minute horse switch. The one I was brushing kind of freaked out over a noise in the barn and started pulling back. This made me flash back to when my horse as a kid did the same thing and when the halter snapped it almost took off my finger.

Nikki decided to ride the horse I was brushing since it was acting up. I am sure Nikki wanted to make sure it didn't get away with anything and knew I am too soft. I tend to be a bit easy and the horses take advantage of it. They always have. Don't get me wrong, if I have to be the boss I can. When your dad puts you on the young horses as a kid to break them because you are the lightest, you learn how to hang on, fall off safely and take control. I just prefer not to be aggressive if I don't have to.

Below is just a taste of the ride we were able to enjoy and a beautiful day.

Mike brushing the horse he was going to ride. Sensei was a great horse.

What this horse lacks in a tail he makes up for in personality and ease of ride.

a trail along the river. Nice.

This was a really great view, but I couldn't get a good shot of it. We were heading down a steep hill and I didn't want to hold up the horses.

Down by a different part of the river. Wait, let me pull half a branch out of my hair since we were clearing the trail with our heads.

Ok, that's better.

Me and Gem. She was a gem of a horse too.

This is the horse that started it all for Nikki. Cheers on the left and her grand daughter to the right.

Cheers was originally one of the horses we had when I was a kid. Nikki fell in love with her. Through out our childhood Nikki rode and worked with Cheers. This took a lot of work too, because Cheers can be a mean horse. I think Nikki is the only one she really likes. I am glad Cheers will be living out her days with the one person who loves her the most.

So, that was our day to ride. Thanks Nikki.

Adventures in Canoeing

There once was a canoe that lay resting next to the cabin for the past 20 years. In its hay day it was faithfully used for many a family outing, but now lay abandoned to the woodland creatures. Although still a viable floating vessel, it's outward appearance caused one to scoff at it as they passed on the way to the outhouse.

A rescue mission was hatched. We would free the canoe and use it for the purpose it was intended.

The mission accomplished!

There wasn't any reason to capture on camera the fumbling, bickering and adjusting it took to get that whale on the truck. It is best that we not have evidence of that. Although, I will say that by the end of the weekend we managed to get it loaded in 15 minutes. We will just say that this was a bit less then it took us the first time.

No anchor so tying up to stumps was the way to go.

The view from the canoe. Not bad. Very peaceful.

Ok, you caught me. I am not fishing. I am reading. Perfect!

And the whole reason we liberated the canoe. Yes, we know how small the fish is, but that is why they invented the "fishing story". So, from now on it was at least a 10 inch fish and it will continue to grow each time we tell this fishing story.