Autumn Riding

I almost never travel in the autumn, autumn meaning from early September through November, because autumn is perfect riding weather. How could I leave during this time?! In July and August, riders must contend with deer flies. In spite of spray, masks for the horses, and horsetail sticks to help sweep the flies off of the horses, the flies are always around. During these hot summer months the horses sleep all day in their stalls to avoid the bugs, going out to the pasture just after dusk to graze all night. The day we put the fly masks away for the season should be a homesteader’s holiday.

Riding through our forest while the leaves slowly turn color and fall away is peaceful after the buzzing of summer. It’s quiet. The horses relax. Both of our attention can now expand toward the beauty around us as we let go of the anti-fly vigilance.

Yesterday I rode out bareback on Jasper with him wearing his new Bosal and horse hair mescate, which he rode beautifully in. The maple leaves have mostly fallen, leaving just the butterscotch and yellow oak and ash leaves and an open feel. It was cold. I wore a wool sweatshirt and my down shell and I was still a bit chilled when I got home after three hours. I rode out a road that people here call The Middle Road, as it goes from Pratt Corner Road near our house, through the middle of a great tract of forest, all the way to Amethyst Brook Conservation Area. It’s a long, fairly straight trail that goes for about four miles.

Just before we got to Amethyst, I turned west on a trail I’d not been on. The trail became a rather steep rocky ledge so I led Jasper down it and then it opened up into a network of trails I’d never been on. I am always amazed, after having ridden hear so many years, that there are still new areas to explore! The trails were exquisite, wide, grassy.

We finally came out into some familiar old corn pastures. The fields had been harvested except for a few straggly stand of corn stalks. I gave some of the dried corn on the cob to Jasper who gnashed into it with gusto. Then we rode home in the sparkling light. In three hours of riding, we didn’t come across a single person.

Today, Zoe and I rode out to those corn fields again. Wanting to give Jasper a break, we took Evie and Spencer. You can see the tall stalks behind Evie, who is eyeing the corn. We had saddlebags which we filled with corn to make into tortillas. The horse enjoyed munching corn on the ground while we scavenged.

Of course, my nephew Max likes to ride too. When he first mounted he was daunted by the movement of the horse. But, with some support from his great gramma he really got going until he was galloping everywhere. It was then hard to convince him too dismount. But, it was time to go home to Philladehlphia