On the third day, we saddled up after breakfast and I was asked to take a photo of the "Odd Couple" in our group, a Percheron and a Spotted Saddle Horse.This is close as they were get to one another. Apparently they were both intimidated by each others difference in size...haha!
Afterwards, we headed out on the trail...well, not really a trail. We made our own trail meandering through the trees.
We rode across a wide open meadow towards some old corrals with cattle.
And then we followed an old rutted dirt road up into the ponderosa forest.
The views as we gained elevation were beautiful.
Most of the folks in our riding group have gaited horses. Apache and I gave up trying to keep up with the group. It's a drag having to trot all the time. We just did our own thing, and would sometimes cut through the forest or over a hill to catch up with everyone.
We always caught up eventually when the group gave their horses a rest or the leaders would check their GPS and maps to see if we were lost of not.
And off we would go again...everyone up ahead in the group, tightly packed together nose-to-tail, and Apache and I way in the back enjoying our peace, quiet and solitude.
We did have to ride a forest service road a couple times, but we would leave the road and climb up a steep hill above the road and enter the Gila Wilderness again, often having to enter through a gate.
We rode a lot of steep hills. It was quite the adventure.
It was interesting how many gates there were in the forest.
Those that stopped to open and close the gates were much appreciated.
Can't forget our trail selfie!
The views were really beautiful the higher we climbed.
Another wilderness gate to walk through.
The gates not only keep motorized vehicles out, but they keep cattle contained, too.
You know the rules: Always close a gate if you find it closed. And leave a gate open if you find it open. The gates we saw that day were all closed when we arrived, so we made sure to close them after we walked through.
Wonderful last ride of the weekend. And a great horse camping adventure for my Apache mare and I.
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