The Perfect Mare in front of the Cottage
Our main task was checking trail, which we did. we followed one trail from the road next to the TDR driveway, up along Gray Creek. I wanted to find a connector to the trail from the parking area down to the creek by the hammock. I didn’t find it. Later talking to Amy Jo, I learned that you have to go down through the creek a ways to get to it. It’s too deep now, but maybe later in the year. Most of this trail is broad and open enough to allow for a little canter, which Lily offered quite happily.
We also tried to find a connection from the road on the far side of the back pasture, up through the woods to the upper meadow woods trail. I got far enough to be able to see where it would be, but there was far too much brush and downed saplings to get through.
Lily went everywhere I pointed her, even if it meant having to back out again. She really seems to like the woods. She will go over most logs, short of chest high and through brush and up hills. She slows when I ask her, so that I won’t get face whipped by low branches. I was feeling a bit cautious, as there have been reports of cougar in the area. I made sure that I had on my bell and had Bob the dog along with us for early warning.
After untacking Lily and hosing her down, I turned her back out with her buddies. Lily went to roll in one of the dirtiest spots in the pasture and was content. All the younger horses had been galloping too and fro watching for her during our ride. Most of this was instigated by Lola, who shadows her every move. I could hear Lola yelling for Lily on and off the entire time she was out of the pasture. Thankfully, Lily was fine being out with me.
After some refreshment, I went back out on foot with my loppers and cleared the first trail of the aforementioned face whipping branches and other brush closer to the ground. Later on, I went back to the second trail to do some real clearing. This involved moving some larger logs, cutting brush and limbing a few trees close to the trail. There was one that will need a hand saw, as it was too much for my loppers. Lily and I will have to wait a few weeks for my next visit to test it out. Eventually, the plan is to connect all the spur trails, so that there is a trail all around the property through the woods. There is a bit of a steep section in this part, but I think that it will be fine as a nice hour long walk during the SMR meeting. Next time, I’ll take the loppers along on my rides for more efficient work.
The future gate into the round pen
While walking Lily out to cool, I told her that next year, we will be doing much more of this sort of thing. Her ears perked up and she got an extra bit of spring in her step!
The day was productive with other tasks accomplished as well. The post locations for the round pen were staked out, and the posts and gate collected and moved. The holes will likely be augered tomorrow. We also looked over the roofing project for the long house and discussed a work party. That will be more than a one person job. I’ll be looking to recruit a few hands. Anyone game? I ended up with a pretty good sunburn. Got to get in the habit of sunscreen again. The meeting is seeming like more of a reality and it’s exciting!
Sounds like you and Lily did some serious work! Rewarding, too, minus the sunburn:-) Being a redhead, I know all too well not to forget sunscreen. On the bright side (literally;), at least you had great weather for doing this. Look forward to seeing the progress.
It was mostly t-shirt warm, but still a bit of a chill in the shade, just lovely weather. I had fun riding Lily or dragging her along on most of our tasks, including laying out stakes for the round pen. She ate grass and paid no mind to the stakes, ropes and measuring tape.
God! I love riding! It’s been so long, that I had nearly forgotten!
Don’t you just love it when you have a JOB on horseback? It seems horses love it, too. I’ve never known a horse who didn’t love clomping around in the woods.
I hope you get to do more of this in the future.
Yup! Tromping around from round pen site to the long house reminded me of a time when I lived in NM and rode a borrowed horse everywhere. Charlie was my local car! It was great fun.
I worry that you are doing all this work by yourself. Isn’t there anyone else in the SMR up there who can chip in?
I’m glad you had this chance to commune with your “One” and that you had the chance to ride again, cuz soon we’ll have another baby!!! After that you be home free to ride and explore all the heights of horsemanship that you can dream of.
Wish I could have been there to help clear those trails and put up the round pen.
We owe a lot to you Simrat!!!
We also owe a lot to Amy Jo and Sally! It’s all being done on a shoestring with recycled/found materials. I was meaning to organize a fundraiser, but lost steam on it. Got any ideas on something to raffle or ?? Maybe a silent auction at the meeting? Or a donation jar?
Simrat, your trail from the back pasture to the upper meadow is awesome! (I hope I was on the right one.) It seems a bit steep along the area where water runs during the winter, but nothing your SM’s can’t handle. I “removed” what I believe were the two “poky” pieces you told me about. (Must be careful how I word this.) Bob, Wally, and I did just fine on it, and I plan to ride Larry on it to see how he does. I also planned to map out a connection behind the long house (where we will have to use the creek when the water recedes), but spent most of the day moving all of Lily’s hay to the back pasture for her nesting period (not for nesting, but eating).
Bud dug all the holes right after you left, and we are getting ready to soak posts in donated motor oil! We are using tepee poles for the railing, and it is going to look awesome. Anyone who wants to donate old, tattered cowboy boots, those will be soaked in Verathane and placed atop each post so I can plan cactus or something hardy there. I might even paint the posts black so we can draw on them with chalk. Fun! I truly cannot wait for the roundpen to be done. I worked with Abigail yesterday morning after feeding her and wanted a roundpen so badly!
Thank you, Simrat, for all your hard work. So much was accomplished this weekend. And before I forget, I always have sunscreen in the bathroom – 50 for the bod, and 85 for the face. I will make sure and put some in the Cowboy Cabin for you. : )
Yes, the steep part concerned me a little too. On the drive home, I was thinking that we could look at doing a little switchback there instead.
The snag that needed cutting was just above the steep part, before the turn back to the upper meadow. Is that what you found?
Yep. That’s the one. It looked like it had already been cut a bit, but now it is gawn. And it was a snag that had fallen; just too heavy and encumbered to move. There was another further up – a smaller one. I took care of that one, also. I think a switchback is 100% possible as there are plenty of animal trails in that area. I will see where Larry wants to go and see what I can do. (I am getting really excited, and I am not even an SMR member – yet!)
Yeah, I broke that fresh one off, but couldn’t do any more.
I also moved the two larger, rotting logs from that spot to down where the low side of the steep section is. I dragged a good amount of downed trees off into the woods in various places. It interesting to see how large a tree one person can move! Most of them were broken or rotted at the bottom and hung up in other trees, so slanting across the trail.