The three amigos set out for a day of riding at Timothy Lake up near Mt. Hood. We created a list of places we wanted to ride earlier this summer, and we have managed to check off quite a few this year. Joni, Tammy, and I wanted to hit the water and do some swimming with our horses. I have heard wonderful things about the trails up there. I had no idea the water would be so blue and clear. We parked in the
Joe Graham Horse Camp and saddled up. Maddy was already up to her water antics, tipping buckets and splashing.
We found our first water stop about 45 minutes into the ride. Maddy loved the boats. She started splashing and I kept coaxing her deeper into the lake...next thing you know...we are swimming!
We rode on. I was soaked, but the swim was worth it. I took off my riding boots and strung them to my saddle. Stirrups are a little harsh on barefeet, I wouldn't recommend it. We hit another campsite with nice water access. Here Joni and Tammy did a bit more schooling with their non-water loving horses.
We rode on and on and on. We ended up doing the whole lake...not planned. Tammy and I are thinking demoting Joni from "Trail Boss":-). We think we did 23 miles...we think. All the literature on the lake trails are different...my butt says it was AT LEAST 23 miles. I am little sore, my calves are a little chaffed, but I will take it. I have great horse riding comrades and I am so proud of our horses. We rolled home about midnight, tired and with wet saddles pads. Timothy Lake...been there, done that, and I will be back to swim again.
The three amigos set out for a day of riding at Timothy Lake up near Mt. Hood. We created a list of places we wanted to ride earlier this summer, and we have managed to check off quite a few this year. Joni, Tammy, and I wanted to hit the water and do some swimming with our horses. I have heard wonderful things about the trails up there. I had no idea the water would be so blue and clear. We parked in the Joe Graham Horse Camp and saddled up. Maddy was already up to her water antics, tipping buckets and splashing. 
We found our first water stop about 45 minutes into the ride. Maddy loved the boats. She started splashing and I kept coaxing her deeper into the lake...next thing you know...we are swimming! 
We rode on. I was soaked, but the swim was worth it. I took off my riding boots and strung them to my saddle. Stirrups are a little harsh on barefeet, I wouldn't recommend it. We hit another campsite with nice water access. Here Joni and Tammy did a bit more schooling with their non-water loving horses. 
We rode on and on and on. We ended up doing the whole lake...not planned. Tammy and I are thinking demoting Joni from "Trail Boss":-). We think we did 23 miles...we think. All the literature on the lake trails are different...my butt says it was AT LEAST 23 miles. I am little sore, my calves are a little chaffed, but I will take it. I have great horse riding comrades and I am so proud of our horses. We rolled home about midnight, tired and with wet saddles pads. Timothy Lake...been there, done that, and I will be back to swim again.
14 comments:
Another experience I missed! I am so jealous. Beautiful.
Wow, what fun! I haven't had a horse in water since I was a kid. My first horse, Trigger, was a swimmer. I would ride him bareback into a large pond, I would wrap my fingers into his long white mane and hang on. It was pretty deep and I loved the feeling of floating in the water with him.
sounds great! 23 miles in one day?! You go girl! That is one long ride!
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Awesome!!!!!!!!!
Your pictures are beautiful! It sounds like you had an amazing time; how cool that you and Maddy went swimming. That's something I've never done, but would love to.
That water is sooo blue and clear. Glad you all had a great time. I'm so jealous, wish we could do that around here.
23 Miles? Are you training for endurance?
Looks like it was w-a-y FUN!
What a beautiful ride. Love the pictures. Swimming with your horse is SO much fun. Wish I had a place around here where it was safe to try that.
Hey, would you consider swapping lives for a day? Yours looks really nice!
The swimming looks like fun!
Such enticing eye candy! The mountains, the horses.....Thanks for the treat!
I do love that ride...but in the hieght of summer , camping in Clackamas Lake-3 miles away, on the same trails...PEOPLE were EVERYWHERE...and we couldn't trot or canter...meaning...no back releif for the horses or BUT relief for us!! So my BUT registered what felt like 25 miles around Timothy lake...though my GPS said it was about 14mi. Wa mare's back..though her saddle fits nicely and we even had sheep skin and thinline on...has 3 white marks of hair...from that 6 hour ride! Poor thing!
Endurance riders rarely SIT..is the point here..I am gonna make sure that for a ride that long again...I can do some 2-point in trot!
You guys look like you had the time of your summer there! Swimming..Madds, what a great mare!
Beautiful photos, looks like a lot of fun!
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