Tamarack Stables - Next Trail ride in Virginia

Ill be heading out for a HFE trip for work Jan 20th 2016 to Alexandria Virginia.
Im traveling early in the day before event so I can arrive in Alexandria and go for a trail ride at the Tamarack Stables.
contacted them today and they said that they use their online system for their riding reservations.

9905 Old Colchester Road
Lorton, VA 22079

Example of Trails of the Tamarack Stables in Virginia

Riding at the edge of the Pohick Creek

Mason Neck Area

Meadow wood Recreation area

http://www.ridetamarack.com/

New winter sneakers, beauty of a 2 mile ride just Duke and me

Duke getting his new Winter Shoes

Bobby was going to work on putting on Duke's shoes today. I imagined that I might not want to ride with him having his legs crunched up for so long. I think it makes his legs feel crappy.  Well Bobby said I should ride him today. It was about 48 out . I hadn't ridden him very much lately but we had lots of great walks together and on Xmas Eve, Duke was trotting on the nice soft ground with me holding the lead line trying to keep up.
I liked that Bobby was doing Duke's shoes as I was there. I could hang out. I also learned that keeping Duke up in the barn for a while can help dry out his hoofs. Ill be doing it all the time.

[Shawnie and the gang of hers will be returning so things will probably be less peaceful than we have had over the past few months.]
 Also Domino is being leased by a nice lady seems as though she loves him and is interested in buying him.  I am shocked by all this talk.  Even the idea of selling Domino makes me feel a little uncomfortable, that horse is something special for the farm.

On the Trail near bridge

I loved riding the staight-away today. The muddy puddles of soft squishy mud and water seemed to annoy Duke so he was creeping into the edges of the trail.  He made me laugh but he wasn't very comfortable.  I noticed that when I asked him to trot he wasn't that excited about it. Im going to see how he is on a trail ride soon and see if its just the "not wanting to lead" thing that he's been doing.

Id like to see him more comfortable.  Ill keep after him. Im proud of myself and of Duke for riding alone without any other horses or people He's a great listening. I think he's doing it for apples and Snax.  Im proud of him.

By the Water

Ran into a hunter on the trail

As I came through the clearing after the sandy area where we split, I saw some people in blue that I recognized as being in front of my in the straight a way standing in front of me as I turned eh corner. Then I noticed that there was a bright orange vest and hat and a large rifle in another person's hand. As I approached I imagined that they would step aside.
When I got there I think I said hi, then they didn't step aside.  I really didn't want them anywhere near my horse.  I said that my horse didn't like the look of his gun.  He started to walk toward the first bridge that I was also going. I asked if we could pass him and go ahead.  Duke was pretty cute. I asked him to stop off the trail, so we could pass and go ahead of him.  He did it, i didn't feel good about him being on the trail with me.  Duke and I walked quickly and then I asked Duke to trot a little bit ahead  I wanted him to canter actually but he's just not himself anymore.  I am hoping that he starts to feel better with all of the Hoofsnax and supplements.

Riding the long Stretch & the back of the rock wall of Farm

Xmas walk wth my good friend Duke

Missed the Christmas Ride with the ladies,  they went out minutes before me. Bobby and Sandy were talking with Bobby's foster son.  I gave Bobby his card.  I like him very much.  He mentioned that Id get to Dukes Shoes soon but he had a cold and his back was killing him from Domoino last weekend. I went and got Duke right away. I had to go through some very thick deep mud.  My huge boots sunk into the mud deep. My pants got mud on them almost right away.  I had rolled them up so they may keep clean.  It didn't work.
Duke was so dirty.  I brought him in the barn and got his cleaning tools.  He was caked with terrible dirty mud.  His beautiful coat was so dirty all the way to his skin.
I had the new "Senior Snax", that are more nutritious for him and his joints.  He loves them.  I loaded my coat with them. I had to make a plan and see what I could have as a nice experience with Duke in the short amount of time. I didn't need to go on the ride I did not want to go out and have Duke get stressed out because he wants to keep up iwht all of the riders.  I brushed and cleaned him but he did not look any better.  I decided to just get him out of the farm and go on a substantial walk. I have enjoyed the trails with him so much.  Val said today that she and Tonto also go for rides. I learned a lot from Val.  I always say, what would Val do?  And then I end up spending time with Duke.  I have grown so close to him with these walks.  He's learning so much and I am learning too.

I went out on the trails from the back.  Boarder Barn and took the trails to the left.  I took a picture of the stream with the bridge by asking Duke to wait and then I stepped off the trails into the edge of the stream.  I then backed Duke out, because he stepped into the path with me. We walked for a while after the stream down to an intersection taking left if you went right it would loop back into the boarder barn area. I looked for my phone in my pockets that were filled with snap and my phone was nt there. I must have dropped it near the stream a long walk back.
Duke turned around and we walked all the way back looking for my purpose phone I did see it.  We wen tall the way back to the stream and I didn't see it then suddenly I noticed it off the trail near the stream. I was glad we went back.  We turned and started to make up the time we lost be having to back track.
We walked fast and Duke hardly stopped any more, eh knows what the program is for walking on the trails with me. I am hoping it will help hi to understand that we can go out on the trails without other horses and people.
I did stop after every like 1/2 mile and gave him a snax.  It helped, I like how he's doing.

Then we kept going down and crossed over the bridge and got to the rail way trail.  I realized after walking down the rail way path, I realized, I had dropped my phone, possibly when I took the picture.

Walked and rode the trails today

Cold in the morning, too cold.  I stayed home and watched Scrooge and also It happened on Fifth Ave, nice Christmas Movies.  Had a piece of toast and out the door.  I saw that Laurie and Cathy were talking. It looked as though they had ridden already.  I went and got my old shoes out to warm and got my lead line and headed over to get "that guy".  I called him as I walked over to the gate area.  He heard me and came up to the gate this time.  I was able to get him out of the gate and give him his apple.  I think he likes it a lot.

We walked with some pep to the rail.  I wasn't sure what to do, I know he is missing his right front shoe.  Before much more could happen, I brushed him up a lot around his tail and just headed out on the farm to get his walking in. I thought I may go in the field again.  Well he had such nice pep that I decided we would go the trails together. I would walk with him out the way by the dining hall and up the hill.  The guys were all watching us at the dining hall. It was cold today but because I didn't come over until 12 noon, the sun was up and it was perfectly warmier. I had my clothes layered and had my head band on.

Behind the Farm walking

We headed out on the rocky trail and decided to go down to the end of the farm to look back over at the Boarder Horses. Duke seemed to understand because he looked over at the horses as we went down the hill.  

 On the Trails walking

 Duke did such a good job on the trails. I believe I will be walking him more often and possibly jumping on him at some point to ride him back.  I went down the edge of the beginning paths and then took the sharp right onto soft lower ground.  He was pretty happy to be venturing out with me. At first he was looking at me strange again like" why are you walking and I am not tacked?"  He is getting used to walking with me.  He began to understand that there are places on the trails were he needs to make room for me and also places where I need to walk in front of him.  He listened to my every word while we walked toward the bridges both of them.  He was excellent and walked carefully behind me.  I feel like we are very close because he was watching me and I feel understanding that I need some room, considering me.  I know that he wanted to have a snack but I didn't give him one for a while.  I hand fed him a snack after he listened for a while.
During the ride Duke trotted a certain spots that we would usually trot.  As we went along I wondered how his leg was feeling. Im not sure if he is getting the supplements. We went through "Bobs trails" and Duke starting trotting quickly, I reminded him and I was with him in-tow.  He slowed.
We went over the two bridges like we were both on the trails together.  I had a feeling that he began to understand just how much I enjoy him. I told him a story of how I go for walks.

I should have gone over to the barn and made a little place for myself.  Maybe we should do that or maybe we can later.  The paddock is so muddy that Im worried about Dukes legs and hoofs.

After our walk I took the brush and brushed out Duke's legs and hoofs. They are covered with thick mud.   It makes me worry that his feet are submerged in thick wet mud for so long but, he's in a stall for a while and thats got to be better than in the wet rain like the other herd.  He's been doing so good with the change and he deserves that apple everytime.
Cathy thinks that the mud sucked his shoes right off.  Yesterday Bobby said he'd check Duke's foot, hoof and leg while he shoes him.  I thought that was great.  Bobby takes such great care of our horses, I thank godness for him.

Looking at the Map I made of this ride, I am learning more about the trails from my own experiences.  During the winter maybe Ill grow in my expertise and Duke too.  It would be great to learn from him too.

On the Ride with Duchess

Decided it would be good to go at 2pm ride on Duchess.  Theresa said that she was avaialble.  The family that was riding was very excited to ride. Theresa was the guide with Katie and Cahty came along too.  Katie and Cathy chatted for the ride. I was happy that the family was interested in trotting.  I feel that I have a better ride with Duchess than I have had in the past.  I kept my heels down and seemed to keep my seat centered on her instead of going from side to side as I have in the past.  Something I did notice is that she wanted to trot fast.  She jumped up to trot quickly.  She was leaning ahead the whole ride before she finally was able to trot.  I loved it a lot.

Blue coming into Eat & My Little Lamb