OUR EXTREME DREAM

     Liz and Susan met Chele and I at Diamond D powerlines this morning.  We hoped and prayed that we could get a nice ride in without being atacked by yellow flies and mosquitos.  All of the rain has been great for the plants, but the bugs are ridiculous now.  We decided to try 3 Bridges.  It wasn't too bad.  We made sure we drenched ourselves and the horses in bug spray.

     Checking out the buffalo.  Notice Ranger's safe distance.

     Chele on Dawn

  Liz and Susan about to head over one of the bridges.

     Ranger has to check things out as we cross.

     After riding, Erik and Cory met me at Chele's to spend a few hours chilling in the pool.

HERE are the rest of the pics. 

     This made me laugh out loud, so I had to share it with y'all:

     We covered both horses with a ton of fly spray and 40 percent deet as I noticed a few yellow flies at the parking lot but they are expected at this time of year. This is yellow fly mating season till mid June.

     We rode in aways and we had the expected number of flies. As we got close to the water the yellow flies picked up so Mustang cut us a branch for swattin which only helped slightly. All of a sudden we were swarmed like one of those bee swarms that you see on TV in those extreme animal attack programs. Both horses were freaking out and if we did not have those riding masks on we probably would have gotten thrown. There are no maps for Cedar Point which is real close to Pumpkin Hill so we had no idea where we were or how to get back to the trailer. I over heard one of the flies say something to his buddy about there not being any witnesses to see us drug off into the woods and eaten alive. It was at that point that we hauled butt to try to out run them. Cedar Point has tree roots every where so cantering or running for your life is pretty much out of the question. Let's just say we were doing Endurance training and testing our balance as we were still swatting with the tree branch while extended trotting out of there. Mustang just let Linc decide how to get back. Heck we were just hanging on for dear life and swinging that tree branch trying not to get eaten.

     The yellow flies must have been eating their Weaties as they were keeping up with us. I'm not sure how long or far that we did our extended trot but I got blisters on the inside of my leg from my new saddle. We made it back to the fence line where ya ride into Cedar Point. We had lost most of the flies some wheres along the way so we were able to walk back to the trailer from there. I'm glad as Linc and Ranger where tired. So much for a nice relaxing early Saturday morning short ride. Heck I would call that a workout. GEEZ??.

     OMG!  Chele and I got up early to go for a short ride this morning.  It was Chele's first "real" ride on Ranger in a few months.  We went to splore Cedar Point by my house some more.  We knew the trails were very shady and thought it would be a nice change from Jennings and some of the other places we go.  BIG MISTAKE!!!!  The yellow flies were sooooooooo bad.  Seriously, there were 50-100 surrounding each of us.  I wound up cutting us both a big branch to swing while we rode.  We trotted 90% of the ride (that part was fun).  I wound up letting Linc find us they way back to the trailer.  We only rode about an hour, but it was NO SISSY ride.

     I managed to get 4 pics before we left.  There's none from our ride since we were constantly swishing, swatting, and slapping.

     Helmet head #1 - Ranger

     Helmet head #2 - Chele

     Helmet head #3 - Linc

     Helmet head #4 - Me (I just noticed how loose my chin strap is.  Guess I need to tighten it.)

     Chele, Liz, Robbie, Mark, Susan, Jamie and I went riding today by the Diamond D powerlines.  It was a gorgeous day for a ride.  The trails were very, very dusty, but the company was excellent.  I rode Ranger again.  He is doing so well now.  He was a little anxious when we first set out, but then he settled down.  Jamie was riding for the first time after her surgery.  Her horse, Flash, had 4 months off while she healed.  Needles to say, he was a little full of himself.  She did very well keeping her cool and calming him down though.

     Poor Apache, they were messing with him.

     Mark and Susan down in the creek.

     Robbie on Ramsey after his swim.

     Susan and Apache up on a hill.

     Chele and Dawn resting at the church.

     Jamie and Flash.  You can see how sweaty and worked up he made himself.

    I just thought this was too cute.

     Liz and Monarch.  See all of the dust.

     Poca

     Chilling out after our ride.

     Power Ranger.

     Mark looks comfortable.

      HERE are a few more pictures.

     After a busy week full of school related stuff (grading, swim meet, softball game, play...), I finally got some "me" time with the horses.  Erik took Cory to the racetrack with him, so I was able to have fun and not worry about anybody but me.  YEEHAW!

     Chele and I met up with KD and her two friends, Karen and Martha, at the Ravines in Middleburg.  We had a blast.  The weather was perfect, and there were no bugs.  I rode Ranger again.  He is getting much better about standing still while mounting.  We worked more on leading, following, and in the middle.  We also worked a little on trot and canter.  He does have a little buck in him, but it's NOTHING compared to Faith. OMG, if that's all he's got, he needs to give it up.  After the ride, we enjoyed a cold brew and some snacks. I couldn't have asked for a better day.

     Karen on Dixie, Martha on Maybe (Ranger's sister), Me on Ranger, & Chele on Dawn.

     We watched this boat go by.  It always rattles the horses as the wake makes it to shore.

     Karen, Martha, and KD.

     Me & Chele

     HERE are a few more pictures.

     What a perfect weekend!  Some friends and I went down to Princess Place Preserve for a Poker Ride and camping.  It is one of my favorite places to go.  I find it hard to describe how beautiful it is down there.  There's plenty of wildlife and gorgeous landscape.

     Unfortuately, I couldn't take Linc or Rocky since their coggins expired on Wednesday.  It will be a few weeks before I can have Guy come out to do their shots, teeth, and coggins.  It's all good though.  Chele brought Ranger for me.  He just turned 4 and is still pretty green.  He's a bit too much for Chele to handle right now because she's still recovering from her broken wing.  Besides that, I like a challenge.  Riding him was exactly what I needed right now to boost my skills and confidence.  I will be the first to admit that my recent episodes with Faith rattled my nerves.

     Anyway, the poker ride was a lot of fun.  Ranger was a handful.  During his 8 months off, he got used to being a pet and not a working horse.  A good friend of ours, Traci, wound up winning $100 for the best hand.

     After the ride, we set up camp.  PP only has primitive camping.  Chele, Liz, and I spent the night in Chele's new trailer.  It had just enough room for the 3 of us.  Ranger high-tied for the first time.  Dawn (Chele's mare) stayed tied to the trailer.  Other than Dawn playing with hay bag in the middle of the night, they were both excellent.

     Sunday morning we went for another ride.  Ranger was 100% better.  He was more relaxed and tolerant of other riders near him.  He even lead, followed, and took up the middle.

     This is KD on her mare, Sylin.  She is probably the prettiest paint I have ever seen.

     Traci on Tucker.

     Mike on Rusty.

     Cathy on Busta.

     Marilyn on Spirit, her daughter on Clyde, and Traci on Tucker.

     Liz on Monarch.

     Me on KD's mare.  (I felt so lucky to ride her. ;)

     Chele on Dawn.  Me on Ranger.

     Group shot.  CHEERS!

     If these aren't enough pictures, HERE are Liz's, HERE are KD's, and HERE are mine.