Arrowhead Ranch: Equine Fun and Games at 4 Winds

Oh my! This summer has been busy and filled with many fun adventures and activities. I’ve not had a chance to update my blog in a couple weeks!

Soon after my previous ride down at 4 Winds Equestrian Center with my new friend Leiah and her gelding Atsili, I was invited to come down again for a special all-day equine fun and games event and to be the photographer. I love riding at 4 Winds and I enjoy seeing all of my good friends down there, too, so I was happy to accept the invitation.

The first event of the day was a Ride and Tie where two people are on a team and one rides the horse out to a specific location and the other person walks or runs behind. The rider then ties up the horse at the specific location, and then walks or runs back to the starting line, while the other team member finally reaches the tied horse, mounts and then rides the horse back to the starting/finish line.

Here is the first group of walkers, and one rider, heading out to the tie-up location.

The rider up front, my friend Anna, is riding my friend Barb’s horse while Barb is walking behind.

The gal on the left, wearing the pink shirt, was walking while her husband rode. And the gal on the right, my friend Linda, was walking while her team mate Dita rode Linda’s horse out to the Tie Out location.

And here is my friend Dita riding Linda’s horse out to the tie-up location.

And here is Dita after tying up the horse and walking back to the start/finish line.

And the winning team for the Ride and Tie event was Anna and Barb. And here is Barb and her mare Alex.

After the Ride and Tie event, it was time for the Timed Trail Event. And since this was taking place on a 3 mile trail across part of the ranch, I needed to saddle up Apache and head out, too, so I could take photos.

My friend Karen and her horse Rio were volunteering as a Safety Rider.

And my friend Barb and her mare Alex were competing in the Timed Trail Event.

We all rode down the hill away from the stables to the Starting Line. My friend Colleen rode her 4-wheel mule down to make sure everything was running smoothly.

I had kept Apache overnight at 4 Winds in a paddock and after I saddled her up she was ready to hit the trails. She really loves trail riding, too, and especially at 4 Winds. She thinks having our picture taken is kind of silly, though.

My friends Cindy and Leslie were there, too. The last time we had ridden together was last November when we rode to Village Pizza for lunch, through the beautiful Corrales Bosque, beneath the Autumn-colored Cottonwood trees, beside the Rio Grande: Corrales Bosque Autumn Trail Ride

It was great to ride with them again.

And my friend Linda, who I hadn't ridden with since my birthday almost a year ago!

That blog post here: Birthday Trail Ride

And of course, my friend Karen.

And Linda and my friend Dita, too.

Apache was laid back, but ready to get started.

But first, all the riders needed to listen to the Timed Trail Ride Briefing.

Richard and Didi, also friends of mine who are living and working at 4 Winds, had marked, GPS’d and ridden this chosen trail several times. They had rode it at a steady pace without cantering and only a bit of trotting over a few sections. They timed the trail so that the ride would be an enjoyable experience and so that the competition would not be all about racing to the finish line.

The winner of the Timed Trail Event would not be the rider who arrived at the finish line first, but the one that was closest to the time that it took Richard and Didi to ride the trail at a steady, but relaxed pace.

This is the GPS map that Richard and Didi created to show the route of the Timed Trail (pink) as well as the Ride and Tie (blue).

Barb was the first to head out, followed by Karen and I…….after Karen took a couple photos of Apache and I.

“Come on Karen! Let’s Go!” I was saying. lol!

Once we were on the trail for about 15 minutes, Dita and Linda caught up with Apache and I, while Karen, riding her gaited horse Rio, rode way up ahead.

The trail was well-marked with pink ribbons so it was easy for Apache and I to stay on the trail and not get lost.

For the beginning part of the ride we even had a couple canines to join us.

And here come Dita and Linda!

Apache seemed to sense this wasn’t our typical lazy, relaxed trail ride and she was much more forward and energized than she typically is. She even offered to canter a few times, and I was so excited, I just let her.

But her favorite gaits are still walk and trot, so we didn’t canter for a sustained amount of time. Still we managed to get far behind any other riders and horses, and at one point, I even lost the trail because I wasn’t paying attention. Apache got a little fired up over it and started calling out to her fellow equine friends and I ended up calling out to my human friends to help me get back on the trail.

We caught up with our friends and all was right with the world again, and we continued on down the trail at a steady pace.

And I paid much closer attention to the pink ribbons!

At one point Apache thought we should take a short-cut back to the stables and we had a little argument about it. And then we rode up onto a tall hill in the Eventing Field, where we finally caught sight of the rest of our friends up ahead, and then cantered down to catch up to them.

And before we knew it, our 3 mile Timed Trail Ride was over and we had arrived at the Finish Line where Richard and Didi were there to greet everyone and record their ride time.

Apache and I stood in the shade beside Didi, and Karen, so I could photograph the riders as they crossed the finish line.

Hi Barb!

And this friendly married couple and their wonderful horses…..

And Cindy and Leslie.

And Anna!

I can’t remember who won the Timed Trail, but everyone kept commenting on what a beautiful trail it was to ride and we all wished it had been even longer.

But by the time we had finished the trail ride, it was already noon and time for some lunch, followed by some more equine fun and games afterwards.