Powell Butte

Similar to Forest Park, this little nook in the city has some awesome leisurely trails that even the beginner is sure to enjoy. Tina and I found ourselves wanting to ride on an unusually warm day back in March and we decided to head to a place that I knew about and had boarded my horse nearby, way back when.

We ended up taking Dewey and Tango to give them both a bit of conditioning and fun. At one point in the trail, there’s a small creek perfect for playing in the water and we actually got Dewey to go in and stand patiently! Tango handled the situation like an old pro.

Powell Butte is really easy to find, off of Powell up 162^nd and it only took us about 30 minutes to reach from the Tualatin area.  This trail system also links up to the Springwater Trail, which is similar to a mini road for riders, bicyclists, and pedestrians.

TBtrailrider

NW Horse Expo

I definitely have to agree that it has been a while since we posted but I do want everyone to know that our endeavors have not ended and that Tina and I trudge on to find new and exciting things to report about.

So for this post I wanted to update you guys and let you know how the NW Horse Expo in Albany went. Tina and I went in not knowing what to expect; even though I’ve owned horses for most my life I never had the opportunity to go to the Expo. Let me just start with saying, it was fantastic! The place was full of vendor booths with products I had no idea existed! I found myself saying over and over “Wow, I was wondering if someone had invented that!” This place was full of things to make the equine experience as pleasurable as possible. From Interlocking grates for your pastures to keep the mud at bay, to completely customizable saddles from Barefoot Saddlery, there was truly something for everyone.

Tina and I attended a couple clinics, watched the stallion exhibition, which I found has my dream horse, Rembrandt, a Friesian dressage stallion who’s mane is down to his knees and forlock extends to the tip of his muzzle. He was absolutely gorgeous.

Please enjoy the photos that we took and we hope you get a chance to attend next year!

TBtrailrider

Stagecoach horse camp

It has been awhile since I have posted so the next few posts might not be in order but I feel the urge to post again.

My kids and I all have birthday's within the same week so we decided to go camping to celebrate. The camp is in Tillamook forest and we were the only people there. It was so nice! There are miles of horse trails as well as fire roads. One thing that we like but other horse people may not is the fact that the area is also open to atv vehicles.

We had been in the area before and knew there was a waterfall but had never found it. Success this time we found it and it was spectacular.

Jessie and Rachel swore it wasn't cold but
I decided to trust them on that :)

I can't wait to go back, it will definitely be a favorite spot this summer.

Tuffy

Yet again we have a new horse, this time it's a new one for me, Rachel. Although I already have the best trail mount I could ask for, I had to give this horse a home since we have a history. 

I'm pleased to introduce you to Tuffy. He's a 10 yr. old breeding stock paint who spent the first 7 years of his life as a halter horse. So here is the back story. My mother purchased Tuffy as a yearling to have as her own horse that she could do all the hands on training with. We had him for 4 years and I was the one who did all the groundwork and beginning saddle work with at the ripe old age of 12. Unfortunately things took a turn for the worse financially, so my mom had to make the decision to downsize our herd. Tuffy was the only one who wasn't an all around mount and the decision was made to sell him. The experience was heart wrenching to see him go.

Over the years I searched his registered name and he had come up for sale online a couple times but unfortunately it was never the right time to buy, or he was priced to high.During the beginning of winter 2010, I checked up on him again to see if he'd come up for sale, he had. I found him in a small town right on the border of Canada in Washington state. The girl who owned him had fallen on hard times and needed to sell him. The arrangements were made and after a couple months of planning we picked him up. I had my Tuffy back. 

Tuffy continues to be the same loving horse I always remembered, He shares his kisses with everyone and will lick anyone who gets within reach. Tuffy will be my backup mount for trail riding and I intend to take him with us this summer as my pack horse on the Pacific Crest Trail. 

Meet Too Tuff To Spot "Tuffy"

-TBTrailRider

Backyard riding

Jess and her friend went out riding in the backyard today. It was a bit muddy but they were just messing around. I happened to be filming when brownie spooked and gave Jessie a little scare. You can see on the video he was showing us his usual charming personality afterward! "What I didn't spook, I wasn't scared at all!"

Kids, Horses, and Chickens oh my!

Yes my kids are obsessed with chickens. Here is the latest thing they have decided to subject them too. Zach started it so of course Jess had to do it too.

I am so proud of Dewey!

Dewey is giving me the "Do I really have to put up with this?" Look.

Bit-less Brownie...........NOT!

Brownie has been doing so well lately, he has been in an "Indian hackamore" and seemed to enjoy being bit-less. Well today he blew it! We were riding in the neighborhood, Zach on Tango, Jess on Brownie and I was on Dewey. We got about a mile away when Brownie acted up so bad, pulling Jess around and just being Brownie on his worst day. I of course was yelling at Jess, "Use your loud voice." "Pull to one side, shorten up the reins!" none of it worked.

This is where I figured that I would get on and show him a thing or two. Boy was I embarrassed when he acted even worse and took off back towards the house! I did manage to turn him but I had had it! Back to the house we went and Brownie was quickly fit into a Tom Thumb.

This was what he thought of it!

Just so that Brownie isn't hogging the blog, here are the other two..

Look how small Brownie looks 

See Brownie, Tango is making a nice face