Fall Trails

Well today was a most beautiful day in south east Tennessee so Chief and I decided to hit the trails.  The sun was shining, it was kind of cool but mostly warm, and the leaves were changing.

We started off on the Creeks trail and headed up Pumpkin Patch hill were I took this shot just looking straight up.  Chief had gotten tired of walking up the hill and took a little break.  I thought he was stopping to poo as he often does, but he was up to his trickery and was just pausing for a short little rest.  As long as he was resting, I figured I could take advantage of it.
As we headed up the hill, we then stopped at a little spot on the trail I call Inspiration Point.  There is a short trail that leads to the top of a rock outcropping and its got a nice little view.

The leaves looked amazing with the sun shining down on them.  So since Chief was being lazy, we hung out there for a minute.  Then it was on to the Big Pond.   I love the big pond this time of year.  The quickest way to the pond via trail (not gravel road) has a big tree across it so its impassable, so we took the long way.  The long way consists of going down the hill to go back up and around down to the pond.  I discovered today, this way has a few trees across it too.  I honestly haven't been on that part of the trail for a long time, but we made it around none the less.  As we went down to the pond it was apparent no one else had used this trail in awhile as it was hard to make it onto the pond trail for all of the briars.  But, we four wheeled our way through.  The Big Pond trail is nice and flat and clear so we took a nice little gallop around the pond.  I might add here that Chief is doing excellent in picking up the correct leads.  For those working on correct leads, all I can say is you must be consistent and keep at it, they will eventually come around.

We stopped to take a good picture at the pond.  Chief was looking back at me like "Can't we go already?"  Silly horse...
From here we cut across the Strawberry Fields devoid of strawberries this time of year and ended up on the Rocky Top trail.  We then cut down to the Creeks Trail which I had planned to take us home.  However, there was a large black snake that disagreed with this route.  He was about 4 feet long and was across the trail.  While he was just a black snake, I really didn't want Chief to be bitten by a snake and then forever be scared of every stick that looks like a snake.  So, we turned around and took the trail between the little ponds home.  As most of you know, black snakes are good snakes, they are non-poisonous and they eat other snakes.  Anything that gets rid of snakes, even if it is a snake, is a good creature in my mind.  So I thought it best to let him be.  We could have tried to sneak by him, but he really was pretty much the width of the trail and I saw no reason to chance getting bitten.  Chief is appreciative I'm sure.  Although I'm pretty sure he thought that snake was just a stick...

So it was an eventful ride, but it was a pretty one, and we had a nice day.  After the ride, I decided Chief needed a bath and since this is liable to be one of the last pretty days of the year I decided to take advantage of it and give him a bath.  It was a spa day for him as he also got his toes painted and mane and tail combed.  Ahhh to be a horse...

Til next time!