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| The snow is coming off the mountain pretty quickly now |
Notes: Hike N ride around the loop. Ran into the baby goat horde again but this time they just came out by the road to meet us but did not chase us. Stopped in at Jimmy Reeds place to say hi and get the run-down on his shop progress. Told him next time to have cookies ready...he said he'd get right on that...
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| Baby goat horde |
Notes: Hauled Drifter to the wide turnout for an early morning hike and Ride. We rode cross country up an old logging road until it turned into a trail and eventually disappeared. On the way back - Groot took after a doe and her little fawn. I chased him down with Drifter and put the fear of all things un-holly in him. I doubt he will do that again. Doe and Fawn escaped unscathed. Groot, on the other hand, got a taste of what it's like to be chased down by an animal that has no qualms about stomping you into the ground.
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| Buds |
Notes: I'm bored with road riding. Since my trailer is back in commission, I hauled up to the wide spot and hike/rode toward Dixie Creek. I normally avoid ponying but decided to take both horses. It wasn't that bad...Drifter was much less of a goof-ball than normal, so that was a win.
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| The hiking part of HNR |
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| The Clan |
Notes: Drifter's turn for the hike N ride. It is always an adventure riding down the road. I am still amazed and very happy that Drifter handles it all so well. He has a lot of confidence, which I think helps him. There were guys moving water line in the bushes - the usual four-wheeler - sheep - llamas...you name it. He checks it out and moves on. THEN we are rounding the last corner toward Grannies and I hear bleating behind us. Three baby goats run out in the road and commence to chase us. I had no idea how Drifter would react to them and I didn't want them to follow so I tried to trot on up ahead. They over-took us and surround us...chasing Groot around Drifter. Drif bowed his neck at them and snorted a little but was more curious than anything. He is a keeper. I shooed them back to where they came from and we continued on. I wanted to keep them.
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| Baby goat horde |
Notes: Back in the hiking/walking mode come hell or high water. Figured if I'm going to do it, I might as well drag a horse along so we can all get some exercise; I call it...hike and ride (HNR) I try to be in the saddle by 7:00AM to try and beat the traffic. People get up fairly early in these parts and I still run into a bit of it. Mostly irrigators. I walk the first couple of miles and ride what's left. There's a lot for a horse to spook at - but it is a pretty loop for a road ride.
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| Guard llama on duty |
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| Dillon and Jack |
Notes: Dillon came up for a few days and wanted to try riding. My bumper pull is back in commission so we hauled to the Snow Park. I think he really enjoyed it. He was nervous until he got in the saddle. He didn't have the best experiences getting on a horse when he was a kid. Seems like he was always put on some half-rank shitter that tried to kill him. Jack took good care of him.
Notes: Killing three birds with one stone. I decided if I'm going to walk in the mornings - I might as well drag a horse along so we both get some exercise. I saddled Jack in the morning and headed around the loop. I walked the first 1.5 miles and rode the rest.
In the evening - I saddled Drifter and walked/rode to The Cabin and back. I am really not a fan of riding on the road but if I'm going to be walking anyway, I might as well take a horse along. It is irrigation season and every farmer John/Jane is whizzing up and down the roads on side-by-sides and quads with shovels and flapping tarps. Drifter did really well. He got a little sketched out once when a side-by-side was coming at him and a quad behind him at the same time. His go-to action is to basically flatten out and freeze. I'll take that over buck and bolt.
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| Majella and Drifter at The Cabin |
Without a run-around trailer, I'm stuck to road riding a few miles here and there on whatever horse is closest to catch.
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| Jon on Bella overlooking Emmett |
Notes: I took a quick haul to Emmett for Wednesday practice. Jon was there on his way to Prineville. We took a ride on the canal, crossed the second bridge behind the shooting range and rode up the canyon to the highest peak so Jon could take a picture. I didn't take my phone so posting the pic he took.
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| Pivot line off Boulder Flat |
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| Wild yellow roses are kind of a "thing" in these parts |
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| Drifter at The Cabin - 5yrs old |
Notes: Drifter did really well for going down the road on his own. He is actually less spooky than Jack for the most part. He took everything in stride. We tied up at moms and waited for her to follow us up to The Cabin on the four wheeler. She felt sorry for Groot and let him ride with her. She was pretty sure it was too hot and too far for him. Never mind it was a third the distance and 30° cooler than our normal treks...he enjoyed the ride regardless. We rode to The Cabin and I headed back while mom visited with my sister. I'm not much of a visitor.
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| Back side of "The Loop" |
Notes: Rode around the loop. I'm not a fan of road riding - but I will say it is a test of how bomb proof your horse is. Everything from piles of white irrigation pipe to llamas threaten to eat your horse and get you dumped on the hard gravel road. It is a pretty ride though...
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| Almost back to Granny's |
