Since Mid December our little family’s World has been completely spinning out of control. Because of the excessive stress in my Husband’s and my own life I woke up this morning in an anxiety attack (which is not normal for me).  It had been two weeks since my last ride and horsey time and I knew that the only way to re-balance myself would be spending the evening with my Jasmine. When I got to the barn I opened their lot’s gate and invited Belle and Jasmine into the barn.  Both were eager to get their hooves on to dry ground. After running a few laps around the arena Jasmine was not interested in being caught. Belle on the other hand was all about following me around and demanding affection. Eventually I put Belle away so that I could continue to play with Jasmine with out Belle following my every move. After several minutes of Jasmine and I playing several “you can’t catch me!” games and a couple rounds of “tag you’re it!” Where she would walk up to me like she was ready to be caught and then run off with her tail up over her back prancing proudly in the opposite direction. Jasmine finally threw herself on the ground and rolled in the mud just to make sure that she had the dirt good and ground into her coat, got up, and walked right up to me and practically put the halter on herself. It took me nearly 45 minutes to get the dirt and mud off of her and on to me. 

I climbed up on her bareback. We walked around for 5 or so minutes with me laying on her back my hands on her shoulders.  I could feel my stress melt away. Finally my World stopped spinning out of control and I felt centered.  Who needs drugs or a therapist when five minutes on a horse is better than any Valium or Morphine. I decided to saddle her as I was alone in the barn and figured that the last thing I needed to do was to lose my balance and fall off. I haven’t fallen off a horse in 11 years and there is no reason to break my streak today! Once saddled Jasmine and I continued to leisurely ride around the barn for quite awhile until Ben came in to join us. Belle who is normally queen b*tch was very sensitive to Ben’s stressed state and basically begged him to work with her. Ben said to me “I don’t know who horse this is but this is not mine” as Belle was very polite and respectful of his space and just wanted to be petted. She was very happy just to be hanging out with her boy. Both Ben and Belle really seemed to enjoy each other’s company. I think that they were able to some peace within each other.

I finished off of the evening practicing some new massage techniques with Jasmine. She really seems to respond to the Masterson technique that I have been studying for about a month. At one point I was stretching her neck and poll area with her head on my shoulder. I could feel her neck release as she closed her eyes and her body just quivered  as her body adjusted. After that big release it was all she could do to keep her head up, she was just that relaxed. It’s pretty neat to see how our horses respond to the body work. I am sure I will post more on this later.

I hope that many of you are able to enjoy this warm winter weather and getting a few miles on the trail in! For now I leave you with a photo of Jasmine playing in the snow last winter.

The view from East Rim

I love this photo, ususally my favorite of the bunch is the least popular. I love the texture and contrast of the pine tree vs. the rapids below

Water running off of the side of the hill

One lane gravel road leading to a remote river crossing

Evening fog rolling in along the river

Ben and Callie talking

wagon wheel

Me and Callie

Of course no rainy day is complete with out tack shopping!   I will never understand how I can spend money on my horse guilt free but I panic when I even think about buying something for myself.  Jasmine got a new bridle and breast collar which match her saddle. She looks just fabulous!

So shiney!

"Stop standing there and feed me!"

Our morning started with comments from the peanut gallery

"No kidding, feed me already!"

Usually on trips Jasmine goes off of her grain and just nibbles on her hay. We have had issues with Jasmine threatening to colic (a life endangering stomach ache).  Before we left I stopped off at the vet’s office to stock up on horsey meds: banamine (horsey Imodium ) and bute (horsey aspirin) with the motto of better safe than sorry. So I was just thrilled when she ate most of her grain the first night and cleaned her plate the rest of the trip.

After a small half day detour to repair tires on Sue and Bob’s trailer we only had about an 1hr and 1/2 to ride.  We started out going down the hill from our cabin which turns out to

be one of the worst hills on the trip especially on the way home from a ride.  Jasmine would get to the top of the hill and stop to catch her breath before going the extra 30 ft to the trailer.

We only rode about 4 miles on this day through many switchbacks, we found hidden rock caves, we just really took our time enjoying the scenery.

"ooo, what's that?"

The only time that Jasmine spooked was on this ride. She’s such a dork she doesn’t spin or run she just jumps straight up into the air and comes down on all four spayed out on the ground with her head down, looking for something scary. Most times she doesn’t even know what she is scared of.

A very pretty ride

This ride was so relaxing we hated that we only had a short time on it.  We made it back to the cabin just in time for it to get dark.  With the horses fed and blanketed we soon settled ourselves in and enjoyed steaks for dinner.

Sue and Gunner

We set out for a “short ride” to awaken our muscles.  We headed out towards Station Camp and rode long a roller coaster of gentle switchbacks, creeks with babbling brooks,

One of the many wonders we encountered along the way

cute little waterfalls everywhere!Ben and I posing for a picture

and sand stone steps.

This picture does not give these steps justice. They were a lot steeper than they look!

We soon realized that we were on the trail a little longer than we intended and turned around.  We rode that day for a little under than 8.5 miles. The horses were fresh and were enjoying the trail. I think that they were having as much fun as we were. We kept a brisk pace. Belle was not thrilled about riding with two unfamiliar horses so we kept her in the lead with Jasmine not far behind.  The highlight of the ride was when Belle was instead of crossing a bridge like a civilized horse she refused to cross it so Jasmine and I went on ahead and showed Belle how it was done.  On the way back Belle encountered the same bridge she crossed it but this time instead of stepping off of the bridge she jumped from it with all four feet going in different directions as if to say “Bonsai!!!!”.  I couldn’t help but to laugh at her.  We made it back to the cabin in one piece and settled in for a relaxing evening.

All bundled up and ready to go!

We made it to 3 miles north of the Mt. Vernon, Ky exit on I75 when Sue came over the walkie talkie stating that they blew a tire.  We caught up with them and pulled over behind them.  We were attempting to jack the trailer up when a tow truck driver pulled up behind us. We thought we had it all under control when we realized that the spare tire was dry rotted.  We hoped that we could limp the rest of the way to Tennessee.  We were about to pull the ttrailer up on a block change the tire when we realize that Sue’s truck battery was dead!  Conveniently with the tow truck driver there he volunteered to assist us by pulling his truck into the ditch with an approximate 8 ft drop and cliff wall.  We asked him to not pull into the ditch but he insisted stated “Oh I won’t get stuck”. Well sure enough he got stuck and was very lucky not to of rolled his truck in the process.  Ben and I had to unhitch our trailer on the hill luckily our tire locks held while Ben had to take the driver into town to get his spare truck to pull his other truck out. Of course I didn’t think to take a photo of tow truck stuck.  Naturally this never happens unless it’s a Sunday and every business is closed, and you have a full bladder! After waiting on the side of the road with crossed legs I had to take my chances blocked by the open truck door.   Finally Ben and the tow truck driver returned and first pulled the tow truck out and then jumped Sue’s truck  and then we quickly changed the tire.

Three men and a tire

After a total of 2 hours lost on the side of the road we continued on to the exit and limped the rest of the 75 miles to Oneida.  We got to our cabin around 9p and got everyone settled in.  Bright and early Monday Bob contacted a local tire store and got 2 new tired ordered for pick up on Tuesday. Fear not the rest of the week wasn’t nearly this eventful! I’ll post more later!

"Okay, Mom, I've had my fun let's go"

Belle on the other hand walked right up to Ben and bit him.  At that point I knew exactly what kind of day it was going to be, an exciting one! Belle quickly learned that there were repercussions to her actions and with Jasmine in tow I drove her away from us. Before long Belle decided that she would like to act like a civilized horse and join us for the day’s activities.

Once we loaded up and headed to Hueston Woods where we had the honor of joining several people from Hamilton, Warren, Preble, and Butler County. I was so excited to hit the trail I forgot my camera for the first 2 hours of our ride. We started off on the A trail and then hit trail B. All long the way Jasmine and I worked on our half passes and played Natural Horsemanship games with our friends Rhami (A striking black Arabian gelding) and Carolyn. Both the A and B trails were in great shape, few downed trees just a few spots of intermittent mud.  We soon broke for lunch back at the day camp where the horses munched on hay.  I picked up my camera as we headed out to the C trail.

Along C we encountered many down trees, some of which were of very good size and some rather deep mud pits. We took a detour and stopped off at the “kissing rock” for a bit of good luck

"cheese!"

We continued along the trail and Jasmine and I finally took the lead!

"The view is much better from here!"

At the midpoint of the 5.8 mile trail there is a picnic table and places for people to tie off their horses We paused there for a short siesta.

"zzzzz... hmmm? What, did you say my name? Did I miss something?"

We made new friends…

"Is that grey thing (the camera) food? Can I eat it? I know you have treats somewhere!"

And enjoyed the view and breeze off of the lake.

FYI Ben is smoking a E-cig, It's Electric (cue song montage) and this was his 7th day after quitting the real deal. Please remember what Smokey Bear says "Only you can prevent forest fires" Don't smoke on trails please.

The second half of the trail was challenging because of mud pits and slippery hills and I didn’t take any more photos. This is called the “lower side” of C. We suffered a bit of a train wreck about a 1/4 of a mile from the end of the trail. Ben and I have been working to separate the girls while on the trail so that they do not become dangerously herd bound.  In horse terms that means they throw dangerous tantrums when separated from each other.  For all of you non-horsey people out there horses are like the perpetual 2 year old child, always into things, throwing tantrums, and work hard at finding the most creative ways to get hurt.

Back to the tantrum, Belle is usually less herd bound than Jasmine and will try to trot after Jasmine but otherwise does not rear up or do anything stupid like Jasmine does. I had joined another gaited horse rider and rode ahead of the group. Leaving Ben with Belle and 3 other members. I hadn’t made it very far when I started to hear my name screamed. I turned around and Jasmine and I turned around and reached the group just in time to see Ben dismounting and loosing his footing and falling to the ground. I felt horrible. Belle had thrown a tantrum and got the bit through her mouth. Ben was uninjured but very sore from the ride. He walked the rest of the way back to the trailer. Belle will be getting a refresher course on Sunday to reiterate the importance of respect. Overall it was an amazing day the weather was prefect, the trails were passable, and our girls did relatively well. Only a month away until our trip to the Big South Fork!

Happy Trails!

"Where are we going?!"- Jasmine "What's taking so long? Let's go!"- Belle

Last Friday was no different.  I swear if they girls were able to they would load themselves up in the trailer and then yell at us for taking too long to get the equipment together.  After much commentary from the peanut gallery we loaded up and headed to Sebald Butler County Park.  Butler County Ohio Horseman’s Council (OHC) maintains these trails. It is such a pretty little park.  The parking is located in a valley surrounded by hills.  The trails are well kept, just recently mowed and downed trees were removed.  Once at the park we met up with a fellow OHC member and started out on our little adventure.  Belle and Ben started in the lead but Jasmine and I soon became tired of the view and took the lead.

"I know that there are monsters out here, I just have to find them"

And Jasmine started her hunt for imaginary monsters and scary shadows. She found several including one mud pit that she thought for sure was going to swallow her up whole.  We took our time and after several moments of the “friendly game”  and a little “Yo-Yoing” (advancing towards challenges and backing away from them) Jasmine moved forward bravely defeated her foes. After a mile or so in the lead Jasmine decided that it took more effort to find monsters than it did to go through them.

Belle was her consistent self including not drinking while on the trail or back at the trailer. We have had a history of Belle tying up (think of the worst muscle cramp that you have ever had and then magnify that by 10) due to dehydration. She has 24 hour access to a salt block, electrolytes in her feed, and we take our own barn’s water with us in a 10 gallon bucket so that she can have that good ole familiar tasting water while out and about. But alas she still won’t drink.

We had a great ride and enjoyed the company of our friend Jen the trails were uneventful minus one wrong turn. Which just means that our ride was a little shorter than planned. One day we’ll remember to take a map with us! I don’t know what we have in store for us in the next week but I am looking forward to the trip!

My name is Melanie and I have always been passionate about horses. I have had horses in my life since I was four. In the past I pursued equestrian careers including; competition, trainer, hippotherapy, riding instructor, etc. I have had several serious back injuries which placed these ambitions on the back burner. Now a days I am just a recreational rider, photographer, and riding instructor. I am a student of Natural Horsemanship I take a little advice from each of the big names John Lyons, Clinton Anderson, and Pat Parrelli just to name a few. My horses have been the best teachers. You can attend as hundreds of clinics but the horses in your life will always be the best teachers. My husband Ben never had horses until he met me. Luckily he always wanted to be a cowboy. He has always loved animals and embraces the idea that horsemanship is a partnership. He is a wonderful student and soaks information like a sponge. My goal is to share my experiences both on and off the trail creating a dialogue with other avid horse persons and trail riders .

Our Horses

We currently have 2 horses. Ben’s horse is named Belle she is a 19 year old Belgian/QH cross. She is 16.2 HH and every bit of 1600lbs. We affectionately call her our BBW.  Belle is part mountain goat as she is very nimble and graceful. She navigates the toughest terrains with ease. Personality wise she is all Belgian pushy and stubborn which fits Ben’s personality perfectly. Belle has been with use since March of 2010. They are great partners and attached at the hip.

Due to my back injury I gave up my Arabian horses. I started my search for a gaited horse last July. Call it fate or what ever you prefer but I found Jasmine almost immediately. I found her on Craig’s list the picture was poor but there was just something about her that made me call the number attached to the add. When I met Jasmine she was a 3 year old 13 HH starving horse, she has scars upon her body that I care not to imagine how they got there. I walked out to the roped in back yard where she was kept. Jasmine looked wore down but had the kindest sweetest eye that just said “If you take care of me, I will take care of you”. Once Jasmine put her nose into my hand and took in my scent I was sold, she was going to be my horse.  I knew the road of recovery for her would be long and hard and I suspected that her growth would be severely stunted. A short horse was okay by me because that meant I would be able to mount her with out assistance. Well the joke was on me, Jasmine is now 4 years old, 15.2 HH and STILL growing. We have had a share of hoof and nutrition issues but Jasmine has made a full recovery.  It took several months to build her trust but through ground work and consistency she trusts me fully. With  a little reassurance and my confidence she will now go through any challenge I present to her. She remains to be apprehensive about new people unless they have food!  She is the most elegant Tennessee Walking Horse I have ever met and has made my transition from Arabians very easy. On the trail Jasmine is a very protective horse she has even slammed her shoulder into a tree so that I wouldn’t be hurt when we slid sideways down a muddy hill. She’s fun to watch because she will often stop at an obstacle be it hill, log, or deep mud pit and think her actions through. She will then head off to the direction that I had indicated I wanted her to go.  Jasmine is extremely smart I never have to tell her anything twice.

I think that about sums it up!

Day Two:

We went to Paint Creek and it was well worth the 100 mile drive there. Our girls rode very well in the trailer munching on hay all the way. Once there we met up with our friends Sue and Bob.  We rode the South Loop almost six miles of mostly flat trails which was very good after a fast paced ride the day before. Weather threatened to rain on our parade but held off until we were half way home. We rode in a cool 70 degree temps. The cooler weather encouraged the horses to be a little feisty. Jasmine and Belle rotated taking the lead while Sue and Bob brought up the rear. We took a leisurely walk around the 6 mile loop. We enjoyed limestone overlooks and rode alon steep ravines. The girls enjoyed play time in a slightly slick limestone fossil bedded creek. The trails were well maintained and in good condition. Later we learned that the North Loop is much more hilly and challenging. I look forward to going back for an over night camping trip sometime in the future to take a grand tour of the rest of the park. After the ride we ate cold cuts and enjoyed good company and laughter.  While we ate the horses had their dinner Belle finished her hay bag first and moved on to eat Jasmine’s.  As Belle would steal Jasmine’s hay Jasmine took the hay right back out of the corner of Belle’s mouth as if she were saying “Hey!  that’s MINE!”

I’m already looking forward to hitting the trails again next weekend! Next time I’ll take photos!