Here’s Ivory looking out the door while we wait for Ponygirl and Diva to finish saddling up. Doesn’t she look eager to hit the trail? We were treated to a beautiful fall weekend, cool but with plenty of sunshine, and we took advantage of the nice weather to go for a ride on Sunday. At this time of year, you never know when things might turn nasty.
As we move inexorably towards winter, the landscape continues to change. While there are still a few colourful trees to be seen, the rainy, windy days we had last week shook down a groundcover of leaves. Many trees now stand bare, their empty branches stark against the sky.
The dark green of evergreens now highlights the forest, holding firm when their deciduous neighbours have retired for the year.
As always, Diva led the way. There were no deer in the meadow on this occasion. Diva, so full of life and joie-de-vivre, spirit and heart, was thrilled to cut loose and gallop! Ivory and I stood quietly, content to watch Ponygirl and Diva run rings around us!
Watching Diva is a reminder that all Thoroughbred race horses trace their ancestry back to Arabians! Horses like Secretariat all sprang from three founding sires, imported into England in the early years of the 18th century: the Godolphin Arabian, the Byerly Turk and the Darley Arabian.
When Diva was satisfied with her run, we moved on, following the trail along the creek. The trees along the flowing water are popular with birds and a flock of robins was flitting about, to and fro-ing among the branches.
This is the time of year when all is revealed. As the trees lose their leaves, the hidden nests of summer birds are suddenly conspicuous. Can you see the nest in this shrub?
The tops of the goldenrod, so recent brilliant, are now wooly and silvered. Along the trail there are many patches of Old Man’s Beard (Clematis virginiana), the vines clambering over shrubs and up tree trunks. I love their charming, fluffy seedheads. Wild clematis is a moisture lover and is often found in damp places. Indeed, the trail was quite boggy in some sections.
After a pleasant tour, we turned back towards the stable and some well-deserved carrots for the horses.
Willow House Chronicles 