Trail Log: 1-7-2025

South toward Aguila. You can see Eagle Eye in the background

 

• Trail: N. Eagle Eye - Petroglyph Rock
• Miles: 5
• Riders: Self - Celia
• Horses: Jack - Dirt
• Dogs: Groot

Found it! 

Notes: Went back to the area I left Jack's rein. FOUND IT! Part of the area is super rocky so I put Jack's boots on through the rocky parts. He went most of the way barefoot and did great. He moves so much better without shoes and for the first time in years doesn't have a look in his eye like he has a major headache. Can't wait for his Scoot Boots to get here. They are less bulky and won't take up all the room in my saddle bags. 

We tied up at "the rock" and ate lunch before exploring around on foot. Steep country. We found a small cache of turquoise. That was pretty cool.  

Felt like rain but never did 

Trail Log: 1-4-2025

 

Dan and Robyn

• Trail: State Land and N. Eagle Eye
• Miles: 10
• Riders: Self - Celia - Dan - Robyn
• Horses: Jack & Drifter - Dirt - Reba - Bullseye
• Dogs: Groot - Boo

Notes: First trail log of 2025. Where did 2024 go? Somebody said the days go by slow and the years go by fast. I find that BS - the days go by fast as well! I try to find a way to slow down time and all I can think to do is get a job I don't like. That will drag out the years.

Dan and Robyn are up for the winter from Idaho. We rode behind my place onto State Land. I saddled Jack for that ride. He's two weeks into being barefoot and is already moving better than he did with shoes. 

Swapped horses and picked up Celia for a pre-shoot-day ride N. of Eagle Eye. We took a little different path and hit the jackpot of desert treasures. I found an old (probably 1950's heart shaped tin, a percaline bottle and a nice antler shed! Figures it would be the one day I didn't have my saddle bags. We stashed the tin to pick up on the way home - crammed the bottle in my phone pouch, stuffed my phone down my waistband and tied the antler to Drifters saddle. 

The pre-shoot-day ride paid off as Drifter and I were 1 of 37 shooters out of 120 that shot clean to bring home a little extra cash. Pretty good start to the New Year.  

Trail Log: 12-29-2024

• Trail: N. Eagle Eye - Indian Petroglyphs
• Miles: 6.21
• Riders: Self - Cindy - Fred - Texans
• Horses: Jack - Shooter - Cowboy - Mules
• Dogs: Groot - Texan dog

Waiting at the bottom for me

Notes: Friends of Fred and Cindy's were up from Texas. Cindy wanted to take them to the petroglyphs. Jack has been barefoot for a week and half and is moving around fine so I decided to give it a go. The terrain is super sandy in the flats and SUPER rocky once you get toward the mountain. I discovered Drifters original Easy Boot's fronts fit Jack's back feet. I packed those and thought I  had both of Jack's Cavallo's for his fronts. I discovered I only had one. That sucked. I put it on his "weakest" front and went for it. He picked his way through the rocks. I got off and walked some of it. The others had made it to the top of the bluff where the carvings were. I tied Jack at the bottom and hiked up. His foot was holding up well so I thought it best to stop while we were ahead. 

One of the mules got into the cholla and wouldn't let his rider anywhere near to remove any of it. Fred tried dallying up and rubbing it off in the greasewood but that didn't work. He eventually let him off the steep bluff and the gal rode him out. I removed Jack's boots once at the bottom and back to the trailer I rode. Jack's one bootless hoof made it out without so much as a nick. He moves so much better without shoes...almost too good as he was a bit on the muscle coming across that sand which made me happy! I left one of my split reins up where I tied Jack and didn't want to go through the rocks for it. I'll go back and get it another time. I'm sure it will still be here. Not too many people would ride up through there. 

This concludes the last ride of 2024. Here's to another year in the saddle!