# Enjoying life on the trail!



## Cowgirl140ty (Jan 7, 2010)

I know many here in the US cannot ride right now due the freezing weather and snow. So you can live vicariously through this Florida girl! Found the coolest Trailhead 6 minutes from my house! 70 degrees. Blue sky!


----------



## 4hoofbeat (Jun 27, 2013)

Jealous! 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk


----------



## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

Beautiful! Gotta make sure your horses are used to cows though, lol! :smile:


----------



## Cowgirl140ty (Jan 7, 2010)

Thankfully my guy is. Because the trailer actually takes you through private pastures.


----------



## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

What trailhead are you riding?


So many lovely places to ride right now...
Enjoy it now cause in a few weeks we will be back to humid and higher temps that will have us back riding at sun-up or dusk and mosquito feasting weather.
:runninghorse2:...


----------



## mmshiro (May 3, 2017)

Yesterday: 23ºF, sunny, no wind; the sun setting low, casting long shadows on the freshly fallen snow. Quietude. Wouldn't have swapped with you if you paid me - heat, humidity, and bugs will be here soon enough.


----------



## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

Super jealous! I miss green grass and clear, sunny skies. Looks like a fun ride!  


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Cowgirl140ty (Jan 7, 2010)

This was at Gilley creek. There are some very technical spots. You go through 4 ft gates a total of 8x. Just the 10 mile loop I went on had 7 water crossings. One being down a hill with a foot deep trench at the bottom. A herd of cows came stampeding up behind us. Thankfully my horse doesn’t care about much. Lol.


----------



## DutchHorse (Sep 16, 2007)

PoptartShop said:


> Super jealous! I miss green grass and clear, sunny skies. Looks like a fun ride!
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


No worries, in about a few days time all will go away and it's riding time again! :runninghorse2:


----------



## akihba (Jul 8, 2013)

Gorgeous!! Can't wait for the warmer weather to roll around.


----------



## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

is there no concern with how deep that mud is? Aren't there cases of people thinking it's only 6inches deep, when it is actually like quicksand?


My horse would have been freaked by the cows, for sure.


----------



## DutchHorse (Sep 16, 2007)

tinyliny said:


> is there no concern with how deep that mud is? Aren't there cases of people thinking it's only 6inches deep, when it is actually like quicksand?
> 
> 
> My horse would have been freaked by the cows, for sure.


Horses can't see depths like we do...


----------



## Cowgirl140ty (Jan 7, 2010)

tinyliny said:


> is there no concern with how deep that mud is? Aren't there cases of people thinking it's only 6inches deep, when it is actually like quicksand?
> 
> 
> My horse would have been freaked by the cows, for sure.


I learned real quick when I moved to this part of Florida. If it’s sandy white it’s ok. I still proceed with caution. But never an issue. If it is black stay away. Because it can appear solid but actually be very deep.


----------



## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

the mud in your photo looks very fine, like silt, and looked super slippery.


----------



## Cowgirl140ty (Jan 7, 2010)

tinyliny said:


> the mud in your photo looks very fine, like silt, and looked super slippery.


It’s more like beach sand. Not slick at all.


----------



## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

In general, if the footing looks like sand or silt, you are okay. What you have to look out for is the black sinking muck. In West Palm Beach, we had mud pits that were easily 20 feet deep in the center. There was one pit near my house- someone tried to find the bottom of it with a metal pole- it ate the entire pole and they still did not find the bottom. 



We have quick sand as well but it is not common compared to the sinking muck. The mud can be difficult to see because if weeds grow over it, you make the mistake of thinking it is solid ground when it is not. I was riding one time in the swamp and came across some mossy ground- my horse sank and her nose hit the ground. I did an emergency dismount, and she reared up and spun out of there. 



Most sinking muck appears in patches in certain areas, so if you know your trails well you are generally okay. You can also have areas with significant flooding-which have a sand bottom. Those areas are great fun to ride and canter though if you know the footing is safe. 



Many trail rides consist of sloshing through water- The last time I went to Goethe state forest, it was very flooded. 



Florida is having an unusually wet winter- the rivers nearby are constantly at flood stage, which means trails are often wet or under water. Some trails are closed. There is one trail that takes us under the power lines- right now that trail is so flooded, your horse would have to swim! We've crossed it when it is belly deep, but I wouldn't try it now! Too many alligators and water moccasins. 



I'm in North Central FL.


----------



## AndalusionTales (Dec 25, 2018)

That's beautiful! I wish it looked like that in Miami. The weather here is still in the upper 70's and too hot during the day to ride a dark horse.


----------



## lsdrider (Jun 27, 2012)

Yup, too icey to ride here.

I will be "visiting" Florida in a week, courtesy of a power plant. It will be nice to get a break from this stupid winter. (Cold, no snow, icey)

Jealousy makes it hard to "like" your posts, lol.


----------



## gunslinger (Sep 17, 2011)

Miss Lacy would think she was in heaven not having to go up and down the mountains.


----------



## Cowgirl140ty (Jan 7, 2010)

Nope no mountains. But we have a lot of sugar sand. Went riding in the mountains for the first time last September. The one place we stayed. The owner said her horses go all day long in the mountains. But after a couple hours here in the sand hey are done. Mine will go all day here. But up there.... 3 hours and they were done lol.


----------

