Head Shots

I'm taking an online photography course. I'm just practicing - I knew that the horses were muddy but wanted experience.


The one above is my favorite so far, although his nose is dirty. It's hard to get enough detail in the black coat so the lighting has to be perfect.


I like the expression in his eyes and ears better in this one, but the background is distracting. I'd also like more bend in his neck, instead of him looking straight ahead.


Love the background and the quality of light, but it's overexposed, isn't in focus, and he's dirty. This was taken just before sunset, with Sheik standing in front of the open barn door.


Other than the pipe fence and the fact that she's dirty, I really like this one.


These were shot on aperture priority (5.6), and single point focus, about 4:30 pm (except the one of Sheik). I really wish I had a longer lens to blur the background more.

October 2nd

Ride #4 - Pam, Rendi, Kathi

It was a fine autumn day, 63° when we got to the lake, and slightly breezy when we weren't in the woods. The parking lot at the trailhead was crowded, and all the campsites were full of trailers with living quarters, and horses in the pens and on picket lines. For the first time we saw boats in the lake too.

There were many people and horses on the trails; this was the first time we'd passed and been passed. Sometimes the same people were ahead of us, and later they'd be behind; they must have taken the blue trails while we stayed on the main pink trail.

We started out on the wide trail, crossed the bridge, then the step pyramid, and the creek which was dry today. We actually crossed the creek several times, and found out that it has a name: Deer Creek.

The creek was as far as we had ever gone before, but today we kept going. And going. And going. We passed "the tractor" - which is an actual rusty tractor at the side of the trail. We saw "the silo" in the lake. Eventually we could see the dam off in the distance and decided we should just keep on going.

We found "the big hill" that the ranger told me about. In fact we went down into several big ravines and each time said "that must be the big hill", but a little further on there would be a bigger slope. The BIG one is truly big, down and then up, and probably crosses the creek at the bottom.

We found the picnic area at one end of the dam, and walked the horses down a path to the water's edge so they could drink. Then we crossed the dam and came to the point where we had turned around on our last ride, and eventually to where the trail met the road back to the trailhead.

It was about 2.5 hours all the way around the lake. Thankfully Dakota went right in the trailer to go home!

10/2 - Before the Dam

Pam and Brandy attempting the gate obstacle, a *real* gate!





This part of the ride included the really big, steep slopes (actually, they were ravines - down and back up) that were very intimidating. Rendi said I should have gotten photos of them, but I was kind of tied up at the time trying to stay on my horse!

10/2 - Rest Stop at the Dam

We stopped to let the horses drink.
The dam is just past the tree.

Looking the other direction, away from the dam.


The "overflow" in the lake, near the dam.

Dakota

10/2 - Crossing the Dam

The trail over the dam.




Swimming platform


Looking back at the dam.

10/2 - After the Dam

This is where we turned around last time,
just before reaching the dam.


The mailbox obstacle.
These were installed after our last ride.




The grey strips on Dakota's butt aren't warpaint, they
are from the bars on the horse trailer window.












Rendi, trying to avoid a low branch.


A big thank-you to Pam for taking so many of these photos. It's the only way I get pictures of "me".

County Fair Horse Show

Our county fair includes a small horse show. It was Dakota's first show. I had such a good time. ~smile~

Showmanship at Halter - 1st place




Trail class - 2nd place


Over the bridge - no problem!


This was the only trail obstacle that gave him trouble. I was supposed to pick up the wiffle ball and set it on top of the traffic cone. He wouldn't get close enough to the barrel, even though we had worked on it at home. The balloons were quite a curiosity and probably part of the problem. I don't know if I could have reached the wiffle ball anyway!

He wasn't quite lined up right at the gate, so it took some time and maneuvering to get the rope back on the pole, but we did it.

The other obstacles were an elevated trot-over pole, crossing a tarp that had pool noodles on it, the barrels/cones pictured above, cross the bridge, and open/close a rope gate.

I am always thankful when the fair is over. It's a lot of fun, but a lot of work. This year I gave up some of my responsibilities, and took on a couple more. I was very busy.

4H Parents-Only Ride

8/29/10 - Pam, Karen and I met at our usual spot and caravaned to the lake. Two other women that Pam invited met us there. Pam rode Sadie, and brought Brandy for Karen to ride, since Abby is at the trainer's. I took Ella.


We wanted to go the other direction this time; we were told it might be the easiest way to take the 4H kids. The biggest drawback was that we'd have to ride 1/4 mile on pavement to get to the trail to the dam and didn't want to do that with the kids.


One of the other women said we could cross the road at the parking lot, take one of those trails - about 15-20 minutes - and come out right across the road from the trailhead to the dam. We decided to do that, so she led the way.

The trail across the road is harder - narrower, rougher, up and down, rocky, over a few big fallen branches, across steep water crossings that were dry today. A squirrel jumped in a tree and made a lot of rustling noises; Ella and another horse spooked. You know something is scary if Ella spooks; I don't think I've ever seen her spook before. The other horse made it worse of course; Ella might not have spooked if the other horse hadn't.


It took about 30 minutes to get back to the road and begin the main trail to the dam. Even that one was a bit rougher than the main one we've ridden before, more hills and rocks, but other parts were mown grass and nice.


We rode to the dam and turned around; the other two women went on around the lake. We went up the road this time instead of taking the trail across the road.


Karen and I decided we should take the club the way we've gone before, instead - it's wider, better footing (no big rocks), the trees aren't as "close" and scary to a horse. We'll also have the bridge and step-pyramid thing to do, and we'll cross the stream, then turn around and go back, for an hour-long ride. We're planning that ride this fall.



Back at the parking area after the ride:
Karen on Brandy; Pam on Sadie


Karen; Kathi on Ella


Kathi and Pam

Dakota

Ella

Taken at a playday in May.
Her halter is so clean and pretty here.

From a Child's Eyes

Some photos taken by my six-year-old
granddaughter while she was visiting.

Second Trail Ride

7/23/10 - Karen went with us to the lake this time, riding Abby.
(L to R: Karen on Abby, Kathi on Dakota, Katie on Ella)


We went further down the trail this time, all the way to the creek which we crossed, then turned around to go back and crossed again.


Dakota leads on the way out. (I've realized that I can tell when I took a picture by whether or not Katie and Ella are in front of me on the trail.) For a horse that is so buddy-sour, Dakota sure doesn't mind being first in line and even leaving the others behind. On the way back, Ella takes the lead. She enjoys the trails, but she has a very no-nonsense attitude: "lead, follow, or get out of my way." She takes the trail obstacles in stride.


Dakota would not even look at the little bridge last week. I'd worked with him at home this week and finally got him to cross ours, so I gave it a try today and he crossed with no hesitation. We went over the second obstacle, the stair-step thingy, with no trouble.
(Pictured is Karen and horse Abby, below.)




No photos of me this time since I was the only one with a camera. Obviously those white ears belong to Dakota.