Horse Journal: Colorado Springs, Garden of Gods, Canyon

Today's 3 hour ride in Black Canon Canyon and into beautiful fields, cliffs, white shale ridges such as Rattlesnake ridge that goes all the way to Denver. I barely made it to the ride today. I arrived after going the wrong way twice. Once getting out of Denver Airport the other passing the road to the stable.
The lady at the check in is very nice. She had spoken to me on the phone a couple times. Because I didnt want them to think I wasnt coming for the perimeter ride and cancel I let them know where I was when I was in Caslterock and then again when I was on the road to ge there. I arrived about 3 min before my check in time of 12:15.

My guide was named Jim. He was young looking but it turns out that hes got 3 children and been through a nasty divorce. His kids seem to be doing good but I can tell that he's suffering somehow maybe mistakes in his life I couldnt tell. He did a great job of taking care of me and of our ride. I had in my head that the ride is actually dangerous. You need to hold on and be so very careful. I spent so much of my time under ditrection to Lean Back and Hold on, We are going down. Now I would most of the time at Bobby's lean forward during the hills. This is when Brian loves to run. He also likes to go careful (in his way) down a steep hill and when it is less tricky stepping, take the momentum and go to a quick running step. This thrilled me.

Brian was so funny. I accidently got on the wrong side of the horse because I was nervous. When I finally got on and they were ready to go I followed Jim out of the corral area. Brian didnt take my reins very obediatly at first. He turned around and started to turn back a few times. The others waiting for thier ride were watching Brian as he headed back to the water and then to the waiting area. Walter yelled that I needed to show that horse who is boss.l I felt kinda dumb. the other wrangler came over and walked him down the side of the fenced area. He didnt listne good at all to me. They yelled that I better kick him. It was funny but you know I was embarrassed. Finally he listened and we extied about the back. I requested Brian as my horse, Walter the owner was surprised and so was the lady at the window. I had the greatest ride because he was bad ass, such a horse.

The ride started out very similiar to the last ride at Garden of the Gods I continued in the same areas and then it seemed as though we went on a different trail up and to the right or maybe left. Then the soil slowely changed from orange to lighter orange and then to sandy shale color. The sand was then white and then I came to areas that were like cowboy plains, valley, ridges and old resevoir.

When we were entering into the new area where the big picture is there was a huge running steep hill to the right that runs all the way from Colorado Springs to Denver. The rock is an actual ridge and its called Rattlesnake Ridge.
As we entered into the big wide area where the water wells and the old homestead is there is a large flat area that is posted to keep off. Jim said that they area was an old resevoir from the last century for water supply from the well. On the hill ther area rock channels build to take the water back to the town.
After the large open area we came to a dry red area and went upward slowly for a while. Then Jim turned to me and said I will really need to lean way back and hold on because we were entering the canyon area and it was going to be steep and narrow. It was amazing. I felt like I haven never felt before. While Brian during the rides was a sure footed horse he took every chance he could to go quickly down the steep steps and quickly step up speeds. He would frequently run up the steep hills. I was totally excited by him. I wrote on Academy Stables facebook that Brian gave me a true adventure. I felt like I was totally challenged for the ride. I was given so many opportunities to go wicked fast on the trails. He was a true quarterhorse Jim said.

On the way back to the stables we were riding on Columbia Blvd and I looked down little side street and there was a nice famliy of deer slowly walking down the road eating leaves and being sweet. Jim called them mule deer and their color was grayish. They were not afraid and Jim said that the RE agents in the area have to disclose that deer run freely in the area.

Walter

The link below is of the map for the formations.
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:8sH9RIbm45UJ:https://www.springsgov.com/units/parksrec/maps/pdfmaps/gogs-pg1.pdf+&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgvUN2-19Fj5zNQJ0y8S5tM7D8qEJUNWi9ulKpRJzAawgGJ_hnDfC2-qfdGyrNXuyRg9uXxzwgNo8UM8QDLSeS1UZFd6n3zVEoRFfAuhY3AQMDaIvC2lqJO8z7Owb8Y1x3mrDVG&sig=AHIEtbT6DZy52R2zsTqJiZV4yGGCJ1U7Og