Cantering Through Life » trail riding

Sandia Mountains Amazing 10 K Ride

admin — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 23:30:31 +0000

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.

Gutierrez Open Space Ride

admin — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:51:46 +0000

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!

La Cienega Ride in the Sandia Mountains

admin — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:34:51 +0000

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!

Trail riding with Gaited Horses

admin — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 01:52:56 +0000

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!