http://www.clubequestre.com/CEF/index_en.htm

Hi Eileen,

I am afraid I really don't know of any such places - but the site above would be a great place to stop, although I am not sure if they allow campers - they do have the largest and prettiest trails around here - Good Luck!

Well right now, you are the lucky one, you did not waste your time and money busting your butt to get down here to get out of the cold...it is nasty cold and wet right now. We have had a week of colder than usual for down here, frost, etc. It will freeze tonight for sure and probably tomorrow as well. We had a beautiful day yesterday and wham, it started raining last night and basically has not quit since. They say that this is a record breaker for the length of time it has stayed so cold and the temps. Nights the temps are getting down into the 20's in a lot of place north of here. The farmers have been trying to keep the frost away from the crops but they are fighting a losing battle with no reprieve during the day light hours. Stay warm,

Well, I think you made the right decision by leaving the wintery mess. High winds and cold weather has made riding this winter less than appealing. I went on strike and kept the horse moving by having all the barn people have a go on him. I have had to end my strike as he made it clear that he was glad to see me one day so over I go if only to offer an apple and a run in the arena. The shortest day of sunshine is past and we can go forward. I wonder if you are in the area of Florida that is in the cold weather. We have seen pics on the neww where the orange and some other fruit crops could be compromised. Talk at you soon. Gail.

Have a good winter and keep in touch. Gail.

Hey Eileen! Our group of the over 60's has not been active for a long time. I am still kicking around and actually got confirmation of being old when I got the first pension cheques this week. What are you up to and when do you leave for Florida-the other half of your charmed life. Thought I should check in and see if you will have access to email when you are away for the winter. Happy trails . Gail and Pekoe.

Wow - it sounds amazing, Eileen! Maybe one day . . .

Hello Eileen, you must come ride with us this winter. I belong to the SFTRs club out of Miami and they camp at Belle Meade Thanksgiving and I plan to go this year with them. We have a 2700 acre conservation area/horse park out our back door where we spend endless hours riding. I have an extra horse for you. Also every January we do a New Year's ride/BBQ to make all aware of this park, last year had 45 riders and fed 75 and it is all free. Date next year is Sun. 1/10/10. Keep in touch. Lark

Eileen, you are too funny. I am friends with non-Harley people, too.

hi, Eileen, I just read this. Do you ride a Harley, too?

WoW! Can I ever relate to flies ie horse's face flies. I have found I have to use bug spray every time I ride. You are right about the mental cruelty part of it. He used to ride but ran out of money for the boarding so we just have the 1 now that is mine. That would be the reason I am still working. Working on the Freedom 85 plan. Talk at you soon! Gail.

Hi Eileen: I have talked to the old man about driving me up to meet you and to be honest he is not too happy about our being out riding and him sitting waiting for us to get back. I guess I don't blame him. We have not taken the time between us to get me on the road and trailering. The trails where I am boarding now are so good I have not left the property. You and I still have a lot of years left so I suggest that I learn in the spring and will be more independent then. Gail.

hello mam ,very nice that u still ride .

Hi Eileen! It's so great to be with horses! I want to someday have a small place of my own, hopefully before I have to go to a seniors home LOL I am half an hour away from my boy, I try to get out to see hime 3 or 4 times a week, mostly on weekends though, it's hard to go out after work. He is a good boy, very calm, he does have his moments, gets spooky, but we are working on those.

Hi Eileen.... We haven't talked for sometime now!!. Whats new with you??. I have moved J.J. to a different stable. He now has about 30+ acres of pasture to play in and be a horse.I think he is just loving it. All his stress seems to be gone along with mine.

Hi Eileen:: Not talked at you in a while. Last conversation we had was that you were very busy in July but thought you might have time to meet up with me and ride a while . You suggested Barrie and I h an other idea which was the Ganaraska Forest in Durham Region. Not sure if you remember but I suggested that you could get a camp site in the Sandaraska Park near by and they have turn out pens for the horses. I would stay in a nearby b and b as I have no camping stuff. Does this appeal to you?? Gail Morse.

Hi Eileen
The East coast was great! I rode Laura's appy"Tie" on the four hour trail ride. It was awesome. Still getting back into the swing of things around here. My store did ok out there, but not great. It was a great trip though. I went on a lobster boat with the cowgirls, did you see the photo's of the giant one?

NO WAY!!! That camp you are going to...is almost next door to where my horse boards!!! Since I know where that camp is, it was the one I thought of first when you said you were going to a camp "in" Sparta!! The corner of Southdale and Quaker Rd, which is just east of the campground, is two properties north of where my horse boards. I wouldn't have to trailer her to the campground, I could just ride her from home! LOL Unfortunately, she isn't there right now, and even if she was, she's not ready to go out on trails. Neither am I for that matter. She has the type of personality that we have to take things really slow.

Last fall my husband and I took our dogs to the barn with us and took a 3 hour hike. We ended up along the river, on the south side of Southdale. We saw the horse trailers across the road. I knew there were trails around the area, and I've heard that the ones north of Southdale Rd. are really nice.

I'm working next Saturday, but I'll try to get out to see you in the evening or something.

I don't know if it's still around, but the wife of the barn owner saw a cougar on Quaker Rd, just south of Southdale, in early April (I think). The horses at their farm are outside 24/7 now, so I don't think it's an issue anymore.

My email address is cyndi.dyck@gmail.com

I'm not getting an exact location (I found out that the address is 11 Sparta Line) with the number on it. Is it right in Sparta, or out of town? Doesn't take much to be out of town anyway. LOL Quaker Rd crosses Sparta Line right in the middle of town. My horse is two concessions north of that intersection! Small world! Would have been nice if she was home so I could try the saddle on her. Oh well.

I have people advising me to try a different girth, to use a breast collar, try different pads. It's all great advice, but it still adds up!! Wish I had someone around here who carried all this tack, who could put together a combination that suited my mare so that I wouldn't have to experiment and potentially waste money.

No, I don't know where that is, but I'll check it out and try to see you.

Thanks!