You might think that I haven't done much riding of late but that's not the case...actually, with a pretty full schedule (and some unexpected plumbing issues around the house), I've been struggling to keep up my training with Max.
For the first time, the weather here has started to really cool down and today, I awoke to find it cloudy with occasional sunny patches and a brisk wind. Not that THAT was going to stop Max and I from getting out! :-)
I was supposed to have a lesson (the first after a three week hiatus) but my trainer was a bit under the weather with the flu bug so the lesson was canceled. I'd been working Max for about a hour and a half with various transitions, flexion exercises, side passing, leg yields and just plain galloping down the track at Warp speed (with Max, that's about Warp 1...) so we were both pretty limbered up.
Just about that time, a couple of friends rode by to let me know that they were planning on riding the Audry Trail. Cool!
Now, in the wake of the fires last August, the National Forest Service had pretty much closed all the National Forest area, which contains the majority of trails that I ride on. That pretty much left the Hansen Dam Basin and to be honest, that gets real OLD after awhile, espcially since it's all flat and Max has not gotten any serious hill work since early August.
I was a bit concerned since there's a stiff fine for riding in the closed area ($1500 or so) but it turns out that most of the Audry Trail is on private land so it wouldn't be an issue (it also turned out that our subsequent ride to the Sheep Pens was also on private land).
So anyway, I jumped at the opportunity- jeeze, it's been forwever since I've been on some real trails up in the hills and since my friends were going, well screw the National Forest Service. By this time, the wind was definately getting cooler and the sun had disappeared- I was dressed pretty warm but then decided to also put on my Army rain jacket (it's one of those new Gortex EWACS thingies) and that turned out to be a good decision- kept me warm all afternoon.
We soon headed out and made our way towards the trailhead with no issues. It threatened to rain but unless it actually started raining, we pretty much didn't care. One of my friends had been out on the trail the week before and indicated that there shouldn't be any issues (I haven't been on the Audry Trail since June or so).
We gardually made our way up the trail- it's amazing how much has grown back since the Marek Fire last year. This trail doesn't get a lot of equestrian use so we had to clear branches here and there.
Finally ,we got to the one tough part of the trail where you ascend on about 500 feet on a number of narrow switchbacks and then when you get to the top, you have to make a sharp right turn (the drop-off is something fierce!), go about 20 feet and make a sharp left turn. You a literally balancing on the spine of a steep, narrow peak. After that, the trail improves and there's no more mountain goat tracks, although the trail was faint in a few places and we had to adjust our course every now and then.
After about an hour or so, we wound up at the end of the trail, which borders Little Tujunga Canyon Road. We crossed the and then decided to make our way up the old cross country course, which borders the sheep pens (unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures).
After some time, we made our way up to the old cross country course (it's a course of eventing-style jumps that haven't been used in 20 years and have fallen into disrepair) and checked it out. Where we were was basically on the Western edge of the Station Fire and it was interesting to see the landscape with almost no vegetation (you can also see where hills have begun to slide and erode). Pretty interesting.
We then followed one of the trails that we had followed on a previous ride in July but we'd had to turn around because of trail erosion and thick vegetation. However, that wasn't an issue this time with all the vegetation burned off and we were easily able to pass but in retrospect, it was a wise decision- it was impossible to see the footing and it would have been easy to take a wrong step and fall off the trail (it's about a 100 foot drop). Very instructive.
We finally made our way home and throughout the entire ride, Max was well behaved and had no physical issues. I think the cool weather made him a bit more energenic (but not to the point of stupidity). Moreover, I think he actually liked getting out on a real trail for a change. Max knew my friends' horses well and they all seem to get along well and have no issues- that always makes for a pleasant trial ride.
For me, it was good to get out and spend some hours in the saddle. I can't being to tell how much it improves my mental outlook of being able to roam- I think Max and I, in our own ways, hate to be tied down. Anyway, it was an excellent ride and I promptly followed it up with a couple shots of Port and some cheese. :-)
and we were able to see where we'd turned around the last time we rode this trail (there was extreme erosion and thick vegetation which had forced us to turn back
For the first time, the weather here has started to really cool down and today, I awoke to find it cloudy with occasional sunny patches and a brisk wind. Not that THAT was going to stop Max and I from getting out! :-)
I was supposed to have a lesson (the first after a three week hiatus) but my trainer was a bit under the weather with the flu bug so the lesson was canceled. I'd been working Max for about a hour and a half with various transitions, flexion exercises, side passing, leg yields and just plain galloping down the track at Warp speed (with Max, that's about Warp 1...) so we were both pretty limbered up.
Just about that time, a couple of friends rode by to let me know that they were planning on riding the Audry Trail. Cool!
Now, in the wake of the fires last August, the National Forest Service had pretty much closed all the National Forest area, which contains the majority of trails that I ride on. That pretty much left the Hansen Dam Basin and to be honest, that gets real OLD after awhile, espcially since it's all flat and Max has not gotten any serious hill work since early August.
I was a bit concerned since there's a stiff fine for riding in the closed area ($1500 or so) but it turns out that most of the Audry Trail is on private land so it wouldn't be an issue (it also turned out that our subsequent ride to the Sheep Pens was also on private land).
So anyway, I jumped at the opportunity- jeeze, it's been forwever since I've been on some real trails up in the hills and since my friends were going, well screw the National Forest Service. By this time, the wind was definately getting cooler and the sun had disappeared- I was dressed pretty warm but then decided to also put on my Army rain jacket (it's one of those new Gortex EWACS thingies) and that turned out to be a good decision- kept me warm all afternoon.
We soon headed out and made our way towards the trailhead with no issues. It threatened to rain but unless it actually started raining, we pretty much didn't care. One of my friends had been out on the trail the week before and indicated that there shouldn't be any issues (I haven't been on the Audry Trail since June or so).
We gardually made our way up the trail- it's amazing how much has grown back since the Marek Fire last year. This trail doesn't get a lot of equestrian use so we had to clear branches here and there.
Finally ,we got to the one tough part of the trail where you ascend on about 500 feet on a number of narrow switchbacks and then when you get to the top, you have to make a sharp right turn (the drop-off is something fierce!), go about 20 feet and make a sharp left turn. You a literally balancing on the spine of a steep, narrow peak. After that, the trail improves and there's no more mountain goat tracks, although the trail was faint in a few places and we had to adjust our course every now and then.
After about an hour or so, we wound up at the end of the trail, which borders Little Tujunga Canyon Road. We crossed the and then decided to make our way up the old cross country course, which borders the sheep pens (unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures).
After some time, we made our way up to the old cross country course (it's a course of eventing-style jumps that haven't been used in 20 years and have fallen into disrepair) and checked it out. Where we were was basically on the Western edge of the Station Fire and it was interesting to see the landscape with almost no vegetation (you can also see where hills have begun to slide and erode). Pretty interesting.
We then followed one of the trails that we had followed on a previous ride in July but we'd had to turn around because of trail erosion and thick vegetation. However, that wasn't an issue this time with all the vegetation burned off and we were easily able to pass but in retrospect, it was a wise decision- it was impossible to see the footing and it would have been easy to take a wrong step and fall off the trail (it's about a 100 foot drop). Very instructive.
We finally made our way home and throughout the entire ride, Max was well behaved and had no physical issues. I think the cool weather made him a bit more energenic (but not to the point of stupidity). Moreover, I think he actually liked getting out on a real trail for a change. Max knew my friends' horses well and they all seem to get along well and have no issues- that always makes for a pleasant trial ride.
For me, it was good to get out and spend some hours in the saddle. I can't being to tell how much it improves my mental outlook of being able to roam- I think Max and I, in our own ways, hate to be tied down. Anyway, it was an excellent ride and I promptly followed it up with a couple shots of Port and some cheese. :-)
and we were able to see where we'd turned around the last time we rode this trail (there was extreme erosion and thick vegetation which had forced us to turn back
5 comments:
Sounds like a lovely ride!
What kind of cheese?
Why Stilton, of course! :-)
But Irish cheese is also good. I'm pretty much a sucker for just about any kind of cheese, especially with Port. :-)
Awww :( Blues are the only kind of cheese I can't eat. The penicillin makes me break out in hives. To make up for it, I will eat just about any other kind of cheese I come across. ;)
I'm sure we could come up with something if you came out to our neck of the woods. :-)
It's definately Port weather- another storm front coming in. I actually wish it would snow, not as wet and nasty (although I think you would disagree) :-).
I agree, actually - snow is better than rain. This particular snowstorm could quit any time it wanted - oh how I miss last week, when it was sunny and 50s!
We shall have to have a wine and cheese party when I make it down there one day!
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