There are always jobs to get done with the dogs around this place, and this weekend was no different. In the morning, Chris had asked if I wanted to go for a little ride to check out a pasture that we were hoping to get for our cows this year. It would be just like the old days before we were married, just going for a ride.
Before we left, I had trained a little on Floss shedding on the sheep - and she was going great guns, and I thought was a nice second open dog she may turn out to be. I then used her to help me take a cow and her adopted calf (William the Holstein) to a field. Now the horse I ride, Toad, is well over 16 hands, and there were a few gates to open. Large rocks would soon be a friend to me for this trail ride. The cow had other ideas, climbing through fences, so that made me have to open more gates, and because she loved her calf so much, Floss was having a rough time controlling her -old Bess wanted to ground her into the ground, which of course did not help in confidence building exercises. I had wished I had brought another dog to help, but I was destined to open a few extra gates and chase her with the horse before the job of trailing her to the next field was done.
With a little cursing (okay, a lot of cursing) we got the cow and calf into the field. The old bat better say in there.
By this time, Chris sauntered up with the trailer, and we loaded my soaking Toad and drove to the pasture to check things out. With Municipal map in had, we stopped at the edge of our field. We would have to ride three miles to get to the pasture in question.Along the way there were gates to open.
Being the gentleman that he is, Chris opened all of the gates.
The horse that Chris was riding, Dexter, was the lead horse in this trail ride.
The day was a nice day for a walk for the dogs. They travelled twice as far as what we did.
Finally we got to the Grasslands National Park. There was nobody to pay at the gates, so we walked on in. At this time, mother nature called, and I can officially say that I pissed on the Canadian Government! Sorry Mr. Harper.
After we entered the gates, there were a couple of miles left to ride before we got to where we had to be. Finally we arrived at the destination. It looked much like we started - rolling hills, a lot of rolling hills. There were a few residents who were squatting on government land, and when they saw us, they didn't stick around for any close up shots. (Squint really hard and you will see ten deer in this picture).
Then we turned around and went back. Thank God there was a fence line to follow, I think we may have got lost in those hills. I am sure there are bones there of fellow travellers, some with cellphones, still searching for a signal. 
By this time of the day, the sun was going down, the air was getting cooler, and I was beginning to get cramped up. Charlie horses came in large herds. They were the Percheron of the charlie horses. It was at this time I had wished we had brought a shovel so that Chris could have just buried me out there. 
We finally got back to point A and Mr. Snowy Owl was there to greet us.
In his wisdom, I could see he was asking, "Why didn't you drive to the gates with the signs - it would have been a shorter ride!"
The twelve mile trail ride finished, I had turned into a cramped up, teeth chattering frozen corpse. A hot bath and a hot toddy was had and I was rejuvenated.
The day was a nice day for a walk for the dogs. They travelled twice as far as what we did.
Finally we got to the Grasslands National Park. There was nobody to pay at the gates, so we walked on in. At this time, mother nature called, and I can officially say that I pissed on the Canadian Government! Sorry Mr. Harper.
After we entered the gates, there were a couple of miles left to ride before we got to where we had to be. Finally we arrived at the destination. It looked much like we started - rolling hills, a lot of rolling hills. There were a few residents who were squatting on government land, and when they saw us, they didn't stick around for any close up shots. (Squint really hard and you will see ten deer in this picture).
Then we turned around and went back. Thank God there was a fence line to follow, I think we may have got lost in those hills. I am sure there are bones there of fellow travellers, some with cellphones, still searching for a signal. 
By this time of the day, the sun was going down, the air was getting cooler, and I was beginning to get cramped up. Charlie horses came in large herds. They were the Percheron of the charlie horses. It was at this time I had wished we had brought a shovel so that Chris could have just buried me out there. 
We finally got back to point A and Mr. Snowy Owl was there to greet us.
In his wisdom, I could see he was asking, "Why didn't you drive to the gates with the signs - it would have been a shorter ride!"
The twelve mile trail ride finished, I had turned into a cramped up, teeth chattering frozen corpse. A hot bath and a hot toddy was had and I was rejuvenated.I will pre-dose myself with Advil for the next adventure.
What a lovely outing. :)
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