Friday, February 19, 2010

Trailridin' at Sister Creek Ranch Boerne, Texas

On Wednesday the weather FINALLY cooperated enough for us to take a 40 minute trek out to Sister Creek Ranch in Boerne, Texas. Located on 700 acres chock full of trails, an arena, a covered round pen, XC jumps, and a barn to DIE for, it didn't take me long to fall in love, and feel the intense yearning to own my own ranch (stable) one day. Linda's friend Kathy from Massachusetts whom she met out on the trail last year was along for the ride, and she rode Linda's horse Red, while Linda rode her new three year old Traveler, and of course I rode Jackson. Linda and I did switch mounts halfway through as I had never ridden her new horse, and have been interested to see what he feels like. Being a three year old, the first thing I noticed is that he has no sides to put your lower leg against!  WEIRD! :) I just rode him with a very loose rein and worked on basic aids to start getting him used to the feel of them. He was awesome! He has a sweet trot and is very calm and willing and not spooky at all. Since he is still small and growing, please don't laugh at the pic of us! My 5'9 frame  made me look huge; and I weigh 148, not super thin,but i look like I weigh 200 lbs. plus! ;) None of our horses had ever been to this ranch, and Traveler had never even been off of Linda's property! They all took it in stride. We meandered around for a couple of hours, and since Linda forgot the map (doh!) we never really knew exactly where we were. We had a CB though, and easily found our way home without having to radio for directions. (Next time Mindy gets the map, hee hee...). If you want to check out their beautiful facility go to http://www.sistercreekranch.com/
They have two guest houses, a really awesome saloon with full kitchen, RV hookups, pens for your horses, etc. They are not very commercialized, mostly because they want it that way. They don't rent out horses, offer guides, or do any of the dude ranch type stuff, you must bring your own horse and then you can camp in a tent, RV or rent a guest house (pictured below to the left, next to the SALOON!) They have a great weekend coming up in the summer (July) for woman and their horses called "Too Hot To Trot". Sounds like a fun event I will check out. May be too hot to trot, but making friends is always fun! Morning and evening rides are predominant here in Texas in those hot summer months! I can't wait for blasted winter to be over with! Jackson has no shoes and has been exposed to CRAZY amounts of mud for the past two months. The rock we encountered on this ride was NOTHING compared to what we normally do (when we have no MUD months) and at the end of the ride he actually got ouchy! I was a bit freaked out because in the three years I have had him, he has NEVER been ouchy in ANY terrain we have ridden. Linda's horses, (who have shoes in the front!) acted as if they were about to die at the beginning of the ride when we were on the road! But I will keep an eye out and talk to the farrier. He is not lame and is walking as if nothing happened. In fact as soon as we stepped off the road, he stepped out normally. Fairly sure the mud just had to let itself be known in one more ways than it already has. WINTER BEGONE!! Bring on the heat! ;)
Thank God for this day, it was like a dose of Zoloft, lifting my winter funk hugely. I must admit it. I love jumping. I love dressage. But without my trail rides I wouldn't be able to function. Could I love riding the trails more than jumping? It doesn't matter, but I may have to say "Yes..." Luckily, I can do many things on Mr. Versatile so I won't ever have to choose anyway, and I'm never going to be the barn snob who won't take her horse on a trail ride because he's such a valuable competition horse and could get hurt! Trailrides. Yep. My version of Zoloft anyday.....

Saloon to reader's right, guesthouses to left..

Main office

Linda...wish I owned this butt fitting bench! So comfortable!

Linda on Jackson with Kathy on Red ahead of her

Kathy (left) on Red, Linda (right) on Traveler

Steppin' out
Kathy and Linda

Linda on Jackson

Linda on Jackson...Love his face in this one. Isn't it cool to see someone else on your horse sometimes?

Me on Traveler. Come on Traveler. GROW!

View from a ridgetop

Me on Jackson, Kathy up ahead--heading home.

10 comments:

  1. So what, is this the "Chestnuts Only Club"? :) How fun to ride somewhere new with friends. I don't think I could pull my trailer out of the mud at this point. I think it's REALLY fun to watch someone else ride your horse, it's just finding someone that's willing to do it in my case!
    About those cards- I can make them! I have all the stuff, but got a new cpu that doesn't have the same program as my old one for making stuff like that. I'd just have to figure it out, can't be that hard. Would love to do some trading! I have other horsey images as well. Maybe I'll post them as a blog.

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  2. What a beautiful place! And I love it when my friend Nita rides Jaz. No one wants to ride Poco except me. Hmm, why do you think that is ;-)

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  3. I've been dieing to ride out there - some friends went out recently.

    We will ride someday, right? LOL

    It might be a good place to meet up!

    Are you going to go to the clinic in April?

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  4. That place is too Awesome Mindy!
    What a fabulous time and neat to ride another horse..yea, there are some horses I get to ride and I am totally always adjusting my stirrups..they as so thin, need to bring my legs up some to touch them!
    Very cool to see Jackson from another horse...well, do not think that will be happening anytime soon...I actually offered Wa to my sister a few times and she declined...okay one woman mare!
    That bench was great!! Man, what a nice time...wish i could come and join you sometime!! Loved th look of the place!
    XO
    Kac

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  5. Meagan-Yeah, I laughed about that as we were riding out, redhead day! Post your images, I would love to see them!

    Leah--I would ride Poco for you! :) I love to ride other horses! I often find it helps me fall in love all over again with my own!! ;)

    Winter--See your latest post for my comment. Yes, I'm coming to see you ride in the K. Lindley clinic!! Do you know that they have moved the locale?

    Kac--Wish we could ride toghether too! If you ever come to Texas we shall! Yes, Traveler needs to GROW! That saddle was cinched up all the way, and still a little loose, his bridle is too big on him (but the bit fits)! Linda is packing on the groceries, but he is just a bit gangly in a growth spurt right now!

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  6. It looks like you had SOOOOOOOOO much fun!
    That's AWESOME!
    Way to go!
    I agree about Zoloft!

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  7. You do NOT look big on that colt. Hush! :) You look awesome!

    *poke poke* YOu gots the courage! You know that?! Trail riding a greenie you've never ridden before? Out in the open!?! Wow! I am IMpressed!!
    Awesome!

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  8. Come and Get it... =)

    http://hunterintraining.blogspot.com/2010/02/and-awards-go-to.html

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  9. That looks like so much fun!
    I didn't think you looked big on Traveler at all. I look at Kathy and she looks too small, more like a child riding a big horse. If Traveler was more filled out and stocky, you would look more proportionate. Or maybe I've just been riding too many small horses. I will tell you that I love not having to pop a hip out just to mount. lol!

    Is that an Aussie saddle on Traveler? Check out that blingie gold sparkling in the sun! Fancy!
    I love your half chaps. What brand are they? Are you happy with them? Are you comfortable?


    ~Lisa

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  10. That looks like a really nice place. I'd love to do that sometime, too bad I'm so far away. Glad you had such a good time.

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~Slainte' Mhath!