Monday, June 22, 2009

Moon Hits the Trail

We had an amazing 26 days of sunshine here in the northwest. Bright and warm and best of all...no mud! And did I mention amazing? It was awesome. Darling anxiously awaited her last day of school, which had been delayed by over a week due to making up not only snow days from the winter, but flood days as well. The river had risen to the point where the buses were unable to make it on some of their routes, so no school. Which, of course, children were delighted about at the time. Once June was here and Ol' Sol was up high in the sky, they were not.

But school is out now for the summer.

And the rain has returned.


While Darling was still stuck behind a desk doing tests, I grabbed her boy Sandy and headed up into the hills dragging along this lovely boy, Moon. Moon is from Beaty's Butte, just like Steve Holt!. In fact, they remind me a bit of each other. Same wistful, longing look to their eye.

Moon doesn't really need any dragging. He's pretty happy to get up on the hills. Like most Beaty's Butte horses, Moon has a good mind and enjoys learning. And with good, mustang tough feet, he follows Sandy like a trooper.


Despite the clouds and early morning rains, the afternoons have cleared up and give way to bits of sunshine. Ever optimistic, Darling wears her new summer outfit as we saddled up and hit the trails with Sandy & Steve Holt! yesterday afternoon.



We found a new little trail that kept us busy an extra five minutes before it met back up with the lower loop. Darling has become quite the little rider. Last year it would have frightened her a bit to have Sandy bolting down hills, but this year as he began a downward descent at the canter she stuck right with him. Me, of course, I'm hollering WHOA, and Steve Holt! thinks I'm talking to him and is more than happy to oblige. Sandy and Darling both looked up when they came face to tail with us, Darling giving a weak smile and saying, "Sorry." Kid thinks she's a cross country jumper or something these days.



Steve Holt! is less than enthusiastic about trail riding

8 comments:

jane augenstein said...

Moon is a beautiful boy!!! A very kind eye, love his face. All your horses are gorgeous and all have a good mind, you have trained them well.
Ahh, Darling looks good in her summer outfit, gotta keep cool while riding, right?
~Jane and Gilly~

Tracey said...

Moon isn't mine, Jane. He belongs to Boryan; Jupiter is him mom. I wouldn't mind having him, though! He's a nice boy.

Wish I looked as good as Darling, even in my winter outfit!

Welcome To Wilmoth Farms said...

Moon is gorgeous!!! he has such a sweet face!

Paint Girl said...

I've been wanting to see Moon! He is very pretty! He does have a very kind eye.
I bet Darling is very happy school is done, I don't blame her one bit!
What happened to our beautiful, sunny, dry weather? I'm not liking this rain comeback!

photogchic said...

Where's Beaty's Butte? Moon is lovely.

Pony Girl said...

The weather has been unseasonably warm and sunny! I feel bad for the kiddos that had to go to school so long because of the snow days, I think some districts are still in school! I am done, whew! :)
Hope we get in a ride soon! Thanks for the pics of Moon, very handsome!

CTG Ponies said...

Love Moon! What a cutie. Darling sounds a lot like my daughter. Mine is giving me lots of gray hairs...She likes to haul around the pasture at a gallop - bareback. She's got a really good seat from riding bareback and she's way more flexible than me if she hits the ground :)

boryan said...

Beatty's Butte is in Southeastern Oregon (my mare Jupiter is from there obviously). If you live in Oregon, you ought to take a drive there. It's due West of Steen's Mountain where the Kiger Gorge is - West of French Glen, on the way to Denio and Winnemuca Nevada. It's stunning country and like the Eastern side of Washington is high and dry. It's Harney County which is I believe the 5th largest cattle producing county in the U.S. Beatty's Butte is where the original Kiger Mustangs were removed from and separated from the rest of the Mustangs and taken to a HMA near Steen's Mountain (hence the name Kiger Mustangs). Although they are not really kept in Kiger Gorge or on Steen's Mountain. I think they just liked the name Kiger. It seems a lot of the Beatty's Butte Mustangs, Kiger's or not, are quite Barb-y, Spanish-y, looking like my two. Wish I could get a 3rd, but we'll get these two squared away first. If you haven't been there, take a drive. I was out to see Tracey and Moon and Jupiter just a few hours ago. They're doing great and I miss them, but know they must go to school, graduate school in this case. I bring them back on July 1, but may keep them for a month and send them back, we'll see....I feel like I'm sending my children to boarding school. Will they remember me, will they eat right, will they wear warm clothes, mind their manners, eat with their mouths closed?