Kind of dry info for such a lovely place.
Click on any picture to see it larger.
Asia in the Hitchiti woods. Joanna and I haven't ridden here in two or three years and it might be Asia's first trip. I brought Spooky here a lot, but for some reason we just haven't ridden here in two or three years. Today's ride was full of joy. We found new trails that we swear were never there before, we rode for three hours, we had some lovely hand gallops, and we only saw one pick up out on the road. It's deer season, but the hunters were all back at their hunting camps when we were out there.
We were riding down one of the many trails when I saw what looked like a hunter's vest off to the side, tucked up against a log. It was not, but something much better. Look at that color of this fungus. Isn't it gorgeous? I got off Asia to get this picture.
Joanna in the woods
There is a primitive, Baptist church down the dirt road that was founded in 1812. I took some pictures of the grave yard.
The Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge borders the Hitchiti and down one trail I found this tree that had grown so to completely encase one of the refuge signs. You can see the square outline of the sign underneath the bark.
Asia at the end of the ride. In case you wonder about the bit I use on Asia, it's a Mikmar and I originally got it for Spooky. Asia goes well in this bit. She is a nervous horse (Thoroughbred, anyone? ;0) and she really works the roller. She likes it. If you want to know more about this bit, go to Mikmar's website: http://www.mikmar.com/ This bit is the Medium Shank Combination Bit and I don't use the curb strap on nose piece. I used to fox hunt Spooky in an English gag and after several months he began to root when asked to stop. It was most unsettling when his head and neck would drop out of sight while at a full gallop. Several riders in the field used the Mikmar and gave it glowing reviews. I called the company and spoke to them and decided that Spooky would probably go best in this bit given his past history as a barrel racer and that I was fox hunting him and every hunt included at least one all out gallop. Spooky died shortly after I got the bit, but I did get the chance to ride him (but not hunt) several times and he went very well in it. The rooting stopped. When I got Asia, she'd been ridden Western for several years and I'm betting it was in a long shank bit that is so common in the Western world. I put the Mikmar on her and she went very well. I've tried her in an eggbutt snaffle and at a full gallop she ignores it. She listens to the Mikmar and let me emphasize that it is NOT a cruel bit. Go read the description at the Mikmar page for all the particulars.
Well, I didn't mean to wander off course from today's ride, but I have and I'll leave it all in. I hope you had a lovely Saturday out in the woods, too. Life is good.
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