Blazin’ Saddles

On October 27th, my friends, the Foxes, who board at my barn, were kind enough to haul Apache and I up to Felton for a trail ride. Our friend Libby has her Spotted Saddle Horse, Ice, in training there with Nicole Schoppe (of Hidden Gait Ranch) at the stables by the Felton Covered Bridge. The Foxes also have their Walking Horse, Gunner, in training there. We stopped by the barn for a little bit to visit with Ice and Gunner and some other clients of Nicole’s that I know (both equine and human). Mick and I then left and drove Apache and Twister, one of the Foxes’ other horses, over to Henry Cowell Redwood State Park. Nicole, Libby, and Linda hopped on their mounts and rode over to meet us there. We then went on a two and half hour trail ride through the forest on the hills. It was so amazing. The grades were pretty steep both up and down and Apache was so good. He rocked back and took all the descents nice and slow, being careful about where he stepped. On the uphills, we let them canter up a lot of the steeper parts where there were support beams built into the trails to help people up. Apache jumped them all! There was one part where there was a wide part of the trail that was uphill, but not super steep and the footing was nice and even with no roots, holes, or undergrowth. We let them gallop all the way up that section of the trail, about 1/4 mile, maybe more. Apache looooooved that part. It was quite a blast. I’m just glad we didn’t come around any corners to find hikers in the middle of the path. That would not have been pretty. I cannot wait until we go again. The Foxes go semi-regularly to check on Gunner’s progress, so it shouldn’t be too long!

Libby got a few pictures of Apache and Twister playing in the river and then Apache prancing back up the embankment. When we got to the top, he gave a big excited buck and my water bottle went flying out of my saddle bag. A friendly hiker was standing there and handed it back up to me.