Trotting Through October

If the weather plays out okay, October is one of the best riding months of the year! That is, if you can deal with tick infestations, the days getting shorter, and stacking cordwood!

Today I had a plan to get to Bill's while the sun was out. But as usual, by the time I actually get in the saddle, the sun was behind a massive wall of cloud cover. This should be a lesson to ride before lunch and not after noon. In any case, even without direct sunshine, the trail was pretty gorgeous.

Looks like the snowmobilers are getting ready for their season. Following their trails, we could ride forever!

Bill said that there are so many leaves and pine needles on the trail that it has a pillow-like surface. The leaves are also so loud that all their crunching makes it hard to hear what Bill is saying.

Oh look! My brumby must be starving. All she wants to do on the trail is nibble at little puffs of grass peeping out from the leaves!

Today we veered off the usual trail. We followed a snowmobile trail that I almost never ride on. Although all of the trails I ride on are on private land, this part of it really feels like someone might pop out and say, What are you doing back here?

Following this trail, it appears to end at Shelburne Falls Road. But it doesn't really. You walk along the road for a little bit, and then the trail picks up again on the other side farther down. I do not like riding along the road. I am always afraid some car will crash into us. Or that a Harley will go by and be so loud my brumby has a meltdown. But usually people are pretty careful. On this particular ride, we didn't ride but walked down the road. I wonder what drivers think when they see two horses on the road. Are they saying, What a beautiful paint! Bill thought they might be saying, What a beautiful roan!!

Finally we crossed the road and immediately had to cross a little river! Bill filmed the crossing but I just got this photo. In the middle of the crossing, Lilly stopped and made a poop!

We continued though the river and past a harvested cornfield (on the right here) and then straight up the edge of a giant hayfield.

Up at the top of the hill, the rewards were sweet: the horses got some delicious grazing in, and Bill and I got a stellar view.

Naturally, Bill and I were snapping more pictures than an Outside magazine staff photographer. But better because riding horses in the country is actually something anyone can do.

After lingering at the top of the hill, then we headed back down the hillside. Lilly kept thinking it might be more fun to be running down the hill. My brumby--the bona fide dawdler--suddenly felt like running. Maybe that beautiful hayfield made her so happy she couldn't help herself.

We walked down the hill, walked along a cornfield (same one as before but lengthwise), crossed the river again at a different spot, went back across Shelburne Falls Road, and up this little road. No scary cars to speed by, but at the top of this road, Lilly and I had a scare when a large dog came beetling down his driveway at us, barking Cujo-style. Lilly took off, and I almost bounced out of the saddle!

What I love about Conway is that it has street names like Emerson Hollow.

We were so close to Christine's house that we stopped by!!!

After riding for miles, it is always nice to be back in your original neighborhood. Because all's well that ends well.

For a video montage of the ride that Bill made,
you can click right here!!

Even without the sun, an allover perfect day.