Trail Rides ...

No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle. ~ Winston Churchill

One of Petunia's favorite things to do on vacation is to ride a horse. I can remember all the hours going on trail rides during my childhood. There is something so peaceful about riding on the back of a horse, surrounded by beautiful mountains, and breathing in the clean Colorado air.

In the past, I have stayed behind while Petunia and other family go trotting off. This year, I was "lucky" enough to go for a ride. Aunt J talked me into joining them ...

Aunt K is a natural. How does she make it looks so easy???

Petunia must get her riding skills from Aunt K. She is a natural ...

Even Aunt J wasn't too shabby.

Once everyone got situated, we were off ... through the meadow, across the river and through the mountains ...

The whole time we were out on the ride, it looked like the sky was going to open up and dump buckets of rain on us ...

We made it without getting more than a few drops on us!

Dad and Rowdy were waiting for us when we got back to the barn. Poor Rowdy ... he wanted to ride so bad. Unfortunately, you have to be 7 in order to ride at this joint. Next year buddy ... we promise ...

Note to self - the next time I go on one of these rides, I really must take several doses of Advil before I climb on the back of a horse. For some reason, my childhood memories don't include ANY of the soreness associated with my rear sitting on a saddle. It took me quite a while to get my "land" legs back ... and much longer to not feel the effects of the ride.