Back in the saddle again...

I was happy that we rode our horses a lot before the shop/shed arrived as its construction put the horses on ice (so to speak) for about a month. They had been watching our progress from their play pen, but the whole thing was starting to get boring for them, I am sure.

This morning the weather was perfect for a ride, so we took Bueno and Cody out on our favorite ride: the Windmill. I still marvel at our good fortune to just be able to saddle up, ride out from our ranch across some Arizona State land and be at the border with the Coronado National Forest in a matter of 10 minutes. The ride to the Windmill is across some scrubby grass land and across some good-sized washes to a corral and water tank that in the past were used for cattle. It affords the horses some good grazing opportunity this time of year, which is much appreciated.

After the Windmill we ride through a large wash, up the hill and through some mixed oak forest, back to the base of Blacktail Hill and home again. It is about a 2 hour loop, with great views and great variety. That's why it's a favorite ride.