This is why we live in New Mexico, horseback riding in January!  Sure we needed coats and Rip even brought his scarf but as you can see it was warm enough to get the horses sweaty!  A good time was had by all, perfect blue sky not a cloud in sight!  We sympathize with those who are dealing with ice and snow and all we have to say is “move to New Mexico”!

Where else but New Mexico can you ride year round?  In the summer we typically stay in the mountains and in the winter we travel down to the Bosque and ride by the Rio Grande!  An added bonus is seeing the geese, herons, and ducks on the river!  I’ve even read that we get Pelicans in New Mexico, I have yet to see them but apparently they come to enjoy our beautiful weather!

Labor Day weekend found the NM contingent of the Great Western Paso Fino Horse Association trekking to Utah to join members of other states for a fantastic weekend!  To say a great time was had by all would the understatement of the century!  Beautiful scenery, great weather,  wonderful people and last but certainly not least, fantastic horses!  Organized by our president Judi and our webmaster Carol from Utah it couldn’t have been better!  Moab caters to outdoor fun of every category!  It seems to be the 4 wheeling capitol as evidenced by all manner of vehicles, bikes, motorcycles, and 4 wheelers.    Along with all of that there is a very nice horse facility complete with an indoor arena, outdoor arena, racetrack and first class stalls!  The facilities were as nice as the NM State Fair Grounds here in Albuquerque.  We utilized the indoor arena for some Horse Soccer!  What a blast

Nine of us from the New Mexico contingent traveled the 8 hours to Moab.   Some of the more hilarious moments happened at the Grotto of the Seven Mile Canyon ride!  At the end of the 7 miles there is a pond of water that some of the participants did not hesitate to shed their clothing and jump in!  Thereby christened Cowgirl Grotto as most of the participants were indeed cowgirls.  One brave male participant shall remain unnamed and can share his own photos if he so chooses!

The entire weekend was a success as everyone had a great time and left with great memories and new friends!  Thanks to Judi and Carole and all the other organizers, we really appreciate all your hard work!  Looking forward to the next adventure in Colorado next year!

Saturday June 19th found us at the top of the beautiful Sandia Mountains on the 10 K Ride.  Starting at 10,000 feet this trail takes you to the ski area and the High Finance Restaurant and has some amazing views!    About a 5 mile ride;  it can be steep and rocky on some parts but mostly cool and beautiful!  We stopped beneath the  Restaurant and had a snack while the tourists enjoyed looking at the horses and clicking away!  For the brave of heart the trail takes you right to the edge and if so inclined you can  view all of Albuquerque and the amazing drop off!  Sometimes hang gliders can be seen riding the wind currents.

The view down one of the ski runs has the Ortiz Mountains as a back drop!   The Ortiz Mountains were at one time mined for gold and turquoise.  Situated on the Turquoise Trail is Golden, NM, so named for the gold mining in the Ortiz.  Rumor has it that mine shafts still exist and a few brave souls have descended to find skeletons and Indian artifacts.   Of course the mine is fenced and off limits to exploration.

A mid week ride to enjoy the beautiful weather was scheduled for this week in honor of our State Representative Kathy McCoy. Kathy was instrumental in the purchase of the land tracts for the Gutierrez Open Space. We invited Rep McCoy to ride with us through the Open Space to show our appreciation for her hard work in getting the project approved and making it happen so that now we have this beautiful place for riders and hikers for generations to come.

As is customary we enjoy a short break and lunch at one of the restaurants near the hitching posts on the N 14 side of the Gutierrez Open Space.  As we enjoyed lunch and conversation we had an exceedingly lucky break to catch a glimpse of the well known long rider, Bernice Ende, who is currently on a 7000 mile, 2 1/2 year ride.  Unfortunately we didn’t get a picture of her and her Thoroughbred but that will be remedied at the potluck in her honor this weekend! 

Thanks again to Representative Kathy McCoy for all her work in getting this fabulous Open Space!

Even though the area was weather forecast was to have significant wind the adventurous  Trio: Liz, Leigh and Linda, decided to try the La Cienega Trail hoping the wind would be less.  The winds were very strong in Guiterrez

R & R

Canyon, annoying the horses no end when their hay was blowing out of their pens.

Most horses are jumpy in the wind, never knowing what is going to jump out at them from the bushes.  Paso’s are of Spanish Blood and typically have more brio or spirit;   however this doesn’t translate to spooky or crazy.  In a well trained animal there minds are so good that they typically don’t spook or bolt!

Saddled and ready we took the blacktop road to the trail.  It was a busy

Leigh and the gaiting Grace

weekend with several cars driving cautiously by.  However a brain dead skateboarder came whizzing by us at a fast rate of speed.  Thank goodness once again for good minds, the horses didn’t skip a beat!

These are not really mature horses they are all rather young.  Casanova is the old man at 6, both Rip and Amazing Grace are 4 years old.   There was no bolting or going sideways they all just kept the beat!  Another reason to ride Gaited!

Gaited Horses are fast becoming the preferred mount for trail riding.  The combination of smooth ride, great mind, easy going personality and small size is a huge plus for the trail rider, especially for those over 30 years old!  Paso Fino’s and Peruvian Paso‘s are a favorite for several reasons:  their small size, their nimble stride and their versatility.  The Paso’s relatively small feet makes them ideal for rocky trails and their smaller bone structure makes them a more comfortable ride on the rider’s hips.  The Paso’s, in spite of their brio or fiery nature, are really fairly calm and trustworthy on the trail.  In most situations the Paso’s I’ve ridden have responded to surprises such as motorcycles, cars, deer, ducks, unexpected trail hazards and dogs without losing their heads or taking off.

This is not to say that these horses are without heart or stamina!  After a 3 day trail ride, The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Posse Ride covering more than 70 miles of mountainus terrain, Destino was ready to perform at his best for the Lincoln County Parade!  He had the carriage of a well rested horse even though he had lost some significant weight on the strenuous ride.  While many of the horses on the trail ride were dragging, literally, these Paso Fino’s were still spirited, showy and ready to go!