Simon’s head still smells lightly of skunk. Apparently the smell of skunk is not a bug repelant.
Skunk Bug Spray?
Posted by riderofchaos on April 4, 2012
https://blueridgepony.com/2012/04/04/skunk-bug-spray/
Peanut Butter Guest Book
On my April 1st ride, (which I blog about here, https://blueridgepony.wordpress.com/2012/04/02/trail-report-pet-cemetery-tower-loop-4112/) I noticed a peanut butter jar hanging under the picnic table at the midway point.
I hopped off Simon and went over to check it out. I expected to find a geo cache but turns out it was a neat ‘guest book’ for people on the trail.
Someone had placed it there at the very start of the year, with a few pencils and some paper stapled into a note book. There were over a dozen entries already. I read through all of them with Simon lipping at the paper and the picnic table. It was really neat to read other peoples brief entries about their day on the trail.
I added my own entry, with Simon trying to grab the pencil, and sealed it back up in the jar. Simon tried to grab the jar while I dug around in the saddle bag and got ready to get on our way. (no worries, he did not damage it in anyway)
It is a pretty cool idea. Maybe I’ll make an effort to put out a few jars at good rest points along other trails.
Daisy is already cleaning out PB jars for the effort.
Posted by riderofchaos on April 2, 2012
https://blueridgepony.com/2012/04/02/peanut-butter-guest-book/
Trail Report: Pet Cemetery, Tower Loop. 4/1/12
I took Simon on a ride this weekend. It was a perfect day for some mountain time. It was sunny, and just the right temperature with the slightest breeze. We started off pretty early and I had a hoodie on. And we finished around lunch time and I was comfortably down to a tank top.
Fire road that comes out of pet cemetery parking to the trail
Daisy, Simon and I did the Pet Cemetery – Tower Loop ride. I posted about this loop back in December complete with map and details of turns so I won’t bother with that here. https://blueridgepony.wordpress.com/2011/12/15/trail-report-pet-cemetery-tower-loop/
For this loop I turn right at this sign and head to the tower.
The trail was still nice and clear, with lots of fresh green growth and pretty colors coming in. The squirrels were out and so were some of the bugs. The creeks were flowing and it really couldn’t have been a better ride.
Mushroom covered tree
Since I used my new stirrups with the cage front and wore sneakers I got off and hiked some. I figure this will work out my hiking muscles and my riding muscles. It actually helped my ankle stretch out. Which seems like a good thing.
The short bit of fire road from the tower to pick the trail back up on the right.
Simon was a little annoying when I was on foot. He stopped to paw the ground a few times like he was going to lay down for a nice roll. He only did this on very narrow trails when were going down a pretty steep grade with a drop off to one side. He gently pushed me a few times and also tried to nip me in a back more than once. I think he was trying to be annoying.
It might be hard to see, but those black dots are tadpoles.
We passed some bikers which Simon was very excited about and nickered to them until they were completely out of sight. We were also passed by a small truck on the road hack back to where we parked which he whinnied at until it drove over the horizon and I had to hold him back from racing full tilt after it. He also chassed after Daisy along the twisty trails, nipping at her when she let us get close enough. Needless to say he had plenty of spunk and we got in quite a bit of gallop and lots of trot.
Simon, always being silly.
One really cool part of the trail was a peanut butter message jar at the picnic area where the fire road ends at the tower. We added our note to the jar after reading the others. Pretty cool idea. I’ll dedicate a post to it later this week.
This is the picnic table with the peanut butter jar tied under it. You can see it on the right hand side with its red lid.
It was a great morning ride and I am already looking forward to the next one. There are a side trails off Tillman road and other fire road access points I want to check out. I would like to try parking at a slightly different point and give some of these other trails a try soon.
Looking at at the creek we crossed to get off the trail and back on Tillman Rd for a hack back to the parking area.
Looking back at the tower. The trail we came up to it on is just behind it to the right going into the woods.
Posted by riderofchaos on April 2, 2012
https://blueridgepony.com/2012/04/02/trail-report-pet-cemetery-tower-loop-4112/
Simon Likes to Lead Himself
Simon is a mouthy pony. He likes to chew on things, pick things up, grab brushes and crops, bite on his reins, grab the other ponies on his teams reins and breastplates and nibble on my shirt. It’s sometimes annoying, and sometimes endearing. If I am adjusting something and he is standing near a barrel or any equipment he instantly grabs whatever he can and he really loves to walk around with a crop hanging out of his mouth. If we are just leisurely riding around the ring and we walk within reach of a games flag sticking out of a cone, he has to try and grab it and carry it around with him.
One of his most repeated mouthy habits is to grab his reins when we are walking. He does it every day. I don’t correct him, which I probably should, because he doesn’t damage the reins, and he has an inquisitive playful personality that I do enjoy, so I don’t want to punish him for being himself, unless it’s a problem.
I like to think he is leading himself around because I usually drop the reins and he follows me around the field while I set up everything, holding his reins in his mouth.
Posted by riderofchaos on March 29, 2012
https://blueridgepony.com/2012/03/29/simon-likes-to-lead-himself/
Simon Has Team Spirit! – 2012
When we were at the PA Expo they had one of those stands where they embroider halters with whatever you want and I wanted to get one for Simon. But I was wishy washy on spending the money, since I already have a few halters that fit him. But by the time I got home I had decided I should have gotten him one in our games team, Old School, colors.
So, per a friend’s suggestion, I ordered one from Chick’s Saddlery online. I got it in navy blue with gold overlay and had ‘Old School’ embroidered on the nose and ‘Simon’ on the cheek.
I think it looks pretty spiffy on him, although I wish I had ordered a size larger. I ordered the size he was currently wearing, which had tons of room to spare, but apparently the sizing on the monogrammed halters was a little different. It does fit him, but it’s a little more snug than I would like. But unless I happen to get another pony named Simon that has a slightly smaller head, my current pony named Simon is just going to have to deal.
Posted by riderofchaos on March 28, 2012
https://blueridgepony.com/2012/03/28/simon-has-team-spirit/
Blue Ridge Pony 