Transitions

Monday, August 24, 2020

My Border Collie, Miles, went to the veterinarian yesterday for medications to control his arthritis. Fortunately, his case isn’t devastating, it’s not rheumatoid arthritis! His issues, discovered early on, are controllable. Unfortunately, Miles won’t anymore be invited to run with my horses which too much would aggravate his arthritis. This dog lives to run, is a wonderful trail buddy. I’ll start taking lots more on-foot hikes with the dogs so Miles may have running opportunities. For sure, we both (and all) will benefit from climbing occasionally up and down Horse Butte.

Actually, I’ve begun itching again to tackle climbing Horse Butte. I’ve explored for easier ways to hike up and down that butte, to avoid having to cope with unending loose scrabble on its main steep access trail. I’ve seen hikers with leashed dogs descending from an easier-looking side trail. I’ve partly followed a faint walking trail that circles the Butte and might wind up at or near its summit. The next time I’ve only several free hours, the dogs and I will head for the Butte.

Yesterday, I rode Sunni and ponied Rosie into the forest. I’m still trying to connect two horse trails that recently I ran across. Both go in the same direction but they’re totally separate. Connecting them would create a loop, with one trail going from the trailhead and the other returning to it. This would create in a beautiful part of the forest about a four-mile riding loop, allowing one on horseback to avoid dusty roadways.

Finally, I grasped where to connect these trails as a loop. Yesterday, Miles’ vet appointment limited my playtime in the forest. Today and again, the horses and I hopefully will travel the loop. I’ll record our time and distance, and when we’re next there will capture trail coordinates for mapping.

This has been a summer of wonderful fun. It’s almost unimaginable, having found nearby a beautiful forest, with free time to go there and play with my equines and canines.

Dear Friends: August ends to introduce fall and our most beautiful months ahead. Diana