I had a doctors appointment Thursday so I left early. The appointment was quick and I got home SO EARLY OMG.
I had already kind of planned this and wore leggings and my ariats to work, lol. Then I called Eric and asked if I ran the dishwasher and a load of clothes if he would mind single parenting it for a bit so I could take Gwyn out for a trail ride.
He readily agreed. Muahahah.
So with the sky dark and sporadically rainy, I loaded Gwyn up quickly and we headed south to the Watershed Preserve. It's the second closest trail location for me, the first being the local trailhead for Polly Ann but I didn't want to subject Gwyn's feet to the rocks until I can get her other Megasus up and ready for her. It's measured out, I just have to trim it and get the clips in place.
This is the trail map. It's a tiny park but available for riding.
Thankfully, there were no big horse flies but there were plenty of deer flies. They were not that bad all told.
Starting out from the bathroom and trail map message board.
There's a lot of varied terrain over a very short course. There's edge of marsh riding, through pine tree groves, meadows, fishing ponds and deciduos forest. You pass through a couple biomes, it's part of why I love it.
Coming up to the fishing pond
Dude wasn't having much luck
Coming down into the marsh
Beaver dam
Slating Lake. There is a dock and you can portage boats in from the parking lot.
Trail was blocked so we rerouted through the woods and made our own path.
Saw another guy coming to fish.
Wide, grassy spaces for cantering
Trail splits. I went right the first time, and left the second. They meet up again.
Other side of the fishing pond.
The large treefall that Gwyn was very smart about navigating. I was so proud and happy.
I would try and jump it if we go again. It's maybe 2'6" ish? With decent footing and a slight uphill coming up this way.
There's a little historic school house at the parking lot
With a giant fucking wasp nest
And then we met a little boy and his grandfather. Gwyn was very gentle.
As you can see, there was a lot of overlap but I pretty much covered every trail available to me with a few exceptions that needed to be cleared.
They did. It's mostly grass and dirt, very minimal rocks. The worst part is the gravel parking lot. I did an immediate coat of hoof armor after her farrier trim and have been also applying Kevlar Tuff Hoof Guard once a week.
that looks like a cool place to ride! and awesome that she was so clever about bushwhacking through the woods where needed, or crossing logs etc. true story: charlie's first real trail ride, we had to navigate a small downed log and he just like.... couldn't haha. had to get a lead over it the first time!
Our first endurance ride where we encountered frequent small streams had Gwyn LEAPING these tiny trickles of water. To the point where I was being threatened with abandonment by the people I was riding with because they were fed up with her.
So as we approached this wider, deeper brook I was getting ready for what I was anticipating would be a giant leap.
She walked right through it. It was ridiculous. She's gotten much more sensible about tiny trickles of water.
It may be a small park but what great diversity. Did her feet hold up to the terrain?
ReplyDeleteThey did. It's mostly grass and dirt, very minimal rocks. The worst part is the gravel parking lot. I did an immediate coat of hoof armor after her farrier trim and have been also applying Kevlar Tuff Hoof Guard once a week.
Deletethat looks like a cool place to ride! and awesome that she was so clever about bushwhacking through the woods where needed, or crossing logs etc. true story: charlie's first real trail ride, we had to navigate a small downed log and he just like.... couldn't haha. had to get a lead over it the first time!
ReplyDeleteOh no! lol
DeleteOur first endurance ride where we encountered frequent small streams had Gwyn LEAPING these tiny trickles of water. To the point where I was being threatened with abandonment by the people I was riding with because they were fed up with her.
So as we approached this wider, deeper brook I was getting ready for what I was anticipating would be a giant leap.
She walked right through it. It was ridiculous. She's gotten much more sensible about tiny trickles of water.