A Friday Ride

This morning Desire and I headed south about 45 minutes to our friend J's house. I loaded my tack and Desire into J's trailer with her mare Sedona and we headed for Folsom Lake! It was a beautiful cool morning but was probably at least 85 by midday. Not hot but continually surprising for April! The trail head was fairly busy when we pulled in but we backed into a nice spot and saddled up to cruise the trails together for the first time in months.

Steed: ready

J kind-sorta knew where we were going, but the lake was higher than when she was last there so we sort or meandered and wandered and turned around a few times, eventually settling on a route out to Avery Pond and back that we had ridden together last year sometime.

So I think we go over here and..wait..well maybe..hmm, let's check around the corner.. ;-)

 Folsom Lake is just gorgeous this time of year! The Lupines are vibrant against all the bright green and deep blue. The trails were shady which is always ideal, and that route from Sterling Pointe trail head is pretty friendly footing overall.

 Through the Lupines..

 Happy :)

Winding along next to Folsom Lake

 Desire did really well today! With my tumultuous last few months I hadn't hardly ridden her, but she was looking fantastic cruising around pasture showing off when I was mowing the barn field yesterday. She her usual business-like but eager self, cruising down the trail with a peppy clop-clop in her 4 Renegades. After riding uphill after crossing a mucky spot we had one hind boot twist today, but that was it and pretty good considering they were a random 4 boots (her size but not adjusted), she hasn't been out in a while, and there were some tight spots on the trail for a fast moving, clumsy mare. There was lots of heavy stump, stone, and culvert eyeballing as usual, it really makes me laugh that she is still so persistently Snorty at 17 years old! She makes me roll my eyes a lot, but also smile a lot.

Something is coming to eat us, I just know it!

 Desire sure takes good care of herself. Of course I am still attentive to her and takes necessary measures but it's really a load off the mind when your horse naturally takes good care of itself in the important ways. Compared to Blaze she is such a breeze. Grabbing bites of grass, pooping, peeing, drinking out of mucky puddles--and going totally quiet and relaxed when we stopped for lunch and were done with the ride. The important stuff, when it counts! A great mare.

Relaxing at lunch

She drank greedily from this mud puddle

 After a tasty lunch packed by J we headed back for the trailers. There are some nice spots for trotting along the shady trails, it's definitely a close 2nd behind riding at Lake Oroville I think.

 So much bright yummy green!

Actually the amenities are a step above Oroville, since there are not only troughs but a HOSE at the trail head--now that is luxury! Mucky, sweaty Desire, after MUCH spraying and scrubbing off at the trail head:

 An hour later, back home in the barn yard after further scrubbing, and with incautious tiny mutts underfoot..

 Here is my mini Doxie pup Rip, now almost 7 months old! Such a goofy good hearted guy.

 My highbrow ice queen little Kodiak Doxie pup deigned to snuggle with me since I was gone all day :)

 Desire is happy to be home in her paddock with more FOOD on the way..

 When I turn on the hose, Kodiak dives under it, and then runs for the nearest dirt hole and goes muddin'