Here’s How two Dog-Obsessed Horse-Loving Nature Freaks Celebrate Mother’s Day // A #PhotoStory!
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It’s actually my first proper visit to Mom’s since I’ve been back in the states so I wanted to make it a special one and spend the weekend with her. When I asked what she wanted to do she answered without hesitation, “Let’s Ride Horses!”
Kinda perfect really because less than an hour before we had that conversation, I had ordered her a pillow from Amazon, for her living room… Yes, DAUGHTER WIN! -- Mom had her own horse when she was about 17 and when I was a kid she had me in lessons as soon as I was old enough to sit in a saddle…
PROTIP: Celebrate Mother's day a day or two early if you can, there are no crowds or lines or mayhem, it was PERFECT. So we woke up early, packed our stuffs, got her cattle-doggo Bogey all set for a ride and set out on a beautiful cool and sunny spring morning
… but first, breakfast!
Mom had a place in mind tucked away in a small town in the mountains surrounded by antique shops and that “general store” feel. We were both hungry by the time we got there and of course we couldn’t decide what we wanted to we kinda ordered haphazardly and just shared everything.
Buttermilk pancakes, a pepper scallion mushroom and swiss omelet and western style potatoes, a coffee and an orange juice for her. Ugh, it was SO good, but we wrapped up quickly to get back to doggo (don’t worry the windows were open and it was a cool day, Bogey slept on his bed in the shade).
Next, we decided to give the good boy a treat and take him to the dog park! I’ve never seen a more beautiful dog park in all my life, acres and acres of open fields, NOTHING like the little pens they have in NYC, damn the dogs who live out here have it good! Apparently, the land was donated by a local farmer.
Bogey can get a little cranky and too amped up around other doggos who are going crazy, so we did a lap around the property, and said hello to a few pupps who wanted to meet through the fence.
Since we were in the area, we decided to make a quick stop to get Bogey his food supply. It’s such a different vibe out here, much more relaxed, folks who have been farming for generations and generations, really reminds me of where I stay with @teamhumble in the UK… but ya know a bit more, ’MURICA. (The folks are extremely nice though).
Bogey checking out the selection..
Me brushing up on my end of days survival skills…
After that, we realized we were out so early that it was just barely 11 am! The stables don’t open until the afternoon, so er decided it would be nice to explore a place called High Point, which is, you guessed it, the highest point in NJ! From up here, you can see New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
As you can see, it was an absolutely STUNNING day...
There are little hiking and walking trails all around and you can also take photos of doggos like this one.. he loved it up there, I’m sure he felt like the king of the world…
We even met a lovely little lady, who was only about 4 months old! What a doll, she's going to be big girl!
On the way back down the big mountain, we noticed a little campground which I couldn’t help but check out. I’d love to check out the daily rates for that @pullalong situation with my @teamhumble someday. Always good to have little places like this in the back of your mind right?
FINALLY, it was horsey time! Yay! But pepper was pretty pooped, and since the stables are just across from Mom’s apartment, we dropped off the boy, had a quick snack, and changed and headed out (damn I wish I had brought my hiking shoes!)
beeeeeets!!
Of course, Mom knew most of the folks who worked there. One woman was even a fellow dog trainer and they caught up for a moment while I took photos… as per usual.
This one was my favorite of course, because that woman on the left, is Dale Evans, wife of Roy Rodgers, the badass cowgirl I’m named after (of course with a slight spelling difference ;).
Soon it was time to meet our travel companions for the next hour, Mom brought her own helmet (she’s super safety conscious after a bad horseback riding accident she had when I was a kid) and soon we met our new friends.
Her horses name was Dakota, a medium sized boy who you could tell had a serious personality. And mine, Mr. Duke, an older lad, and boy was he a big guy! Being 5’9 myself, I usually don’t have to use the steps but there was no shot I would have reached him without them.
Duke definitely the Ron Swanson of horses, quiet, relaxed and marched at his own pace, which I was absolutely fine with. It had been at least 15 years since I had ridden, and with my back in the state that it’s been, I wasn’t looking for anything on the scale of Dances With Wolves, I was just happy to be riding along and taking in the trail. When ever we’d work up to a straightaway where we could all trot, at the end I’d go “Yay Duke!” and give him a nice pet on his neck, he was such a sweet boy, our guide was cracking up.
Our guide said he was one of her favorites and that he’s great with little kids, I’m pretty sure If I had completely fallen asleep he would have just taken over and got me where I needed to go, that’s some OG autonomous driving technology right there.
Aww duke!
I gave him a nice pet and a hug around the neck when we got back and he flicked his tail as ya do when you’re a horse. <3
We walked out and Mom said to me, "I’d take that over a trip to the nail salon any day… I wonder what they charge for 2 hours??" <3
We came back, and she chilled with her pillow, we had a few beers with dinner, played HQ and introduced her to the British sitcom “Only Fools & Horses”, and although there are no literal horses in that show, it was the perfect end to a beautiful day.
I hoped you enjoyed our adventures!
Until Next Time!
Dayleeo
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A beautiful mother's day! And no crowds which I like. We don't celebrate until May 30th here and this year the celebrations are up in the air. I would love to have my family go ou for breakfast on the beach but I don't think that is happening...
Aww thanks @ceciastor, I hope your day is exactly what you want it to be, and if no one wants to go to the beach I say you go yourself and have an awesome time <3 you've still got time to figure it out :)
ugh that was the BEST. i'm so so glad that you and your mum are having quality time together biza. really i am. great mothers day! :)
Danka sweetheart! Part two is tomorrow, which we're both bracing ourselves for the intensity of but it will be good to give grandma a hug<3 super recharged us for sure,shes STILL talking about it <3
Sounds very much like a perfect day...other than the horse....i’m Scared of those :D. Delighted to hear your sharing the Only Fools and Horses love that side of the Atlantic. We also spent our evening watching some of the old classics. Chuckle every minute.
daww horses can be a bit fickle, ya just have to spend enough time to understand why they are they way they are i guess, that's a whole lot of animal to have a "flighty" personality haha.
Glad you had a great day as well :)
I had a nasty experience on on the back of a horse called Big G. His name was accurate. It involved me, a big horse, a little doorway and a a blacksmith.
sounds like the start to a joke told in pubs haha!
What an absolutely perfect day!
ugh, it was so nice. it meant a lot to both of us because we were never that close until recent years, all things have an opportunity to come back around dont they :)
What a beautiful day! I wish we had thought to avoid the crowds...haha. Your photos brought a smile to my face...this is by far the best mother's day post in my feed! <3
Also stopping by to say that you have been featured and curated for MSP Community Curation: Top Five 'Positive PAL Posts' - Week #19
https://steemit.com/community/@creativesoul/msp-community-curation-top-five-positive-pal-posts-week-19
Thanks so much for this @creativesoul we really had one of the best days together :) So thankful that I get to share it on the blockchain
Now this is my kind of day out! It looks like you had a blast. I am glad you are doing some fun things to help you take your mind off your far away love. :)
I used to love trail riding, but I never liked western saddles, so big and my legs would be so numb my the time we were done. My friend and I used to use our English saddles for trail riding our horses, and when we'd come to a particular open field we loved, we'd gallop full tilt, which was really bad of us, as once my horse hit a rut and off I went. Thank goodness the horse was okay and I was just mad I didn't win our race.
I'm glad you had a great day out!
Ugh there is absolutely nothing like that feeling.. heck even a canter in a wide open field is the best! I was feeling a bit iffy for my back and it had been so long that we took it slow, but it really is just like riding a bike, about 10 minutes in it was like no time had gone by at all
Awesome post!
Must be nice to have such a connection with your mom :>)
Not that that isn't the case between me and my mom. In fact, I loved to spend quality with her. I used to take her to arthouse movies every once in a while. We enjoyed that a lot.
Now I haven't seen her in 3 months, even a weekly call makes her cheer up immediately and besides that, there's always ( but less of a favorite ) our family's whatsapp group, haha
This comment wasn't meant to be about me but I was kind of missing your typical Dayleeo posts around here. Glad they still pop up every now and then.
<3 from Portugal
P.S. You might enjoy my latest project. It's called 'photo stories' and combines a photo with audio. It's your chance to hear my voice for the first time ;>)
No worries, my mom and i were never close growing up, and barely talked in my 20s, but I'm glad things are in a better place now, we both needed a lot of healing to take place, and I'm thankful every day that we're rebuilding :)