Yes, it has been quite a while since a blog post has been made. The Iowa weather has been rather miserable, with rain completely decimating the state this week. My horses are currently standing in mud. The entire pasture is muddy and could probably suck off your boots. A fellow trail rider told me that the creek up in Belmond is so swollen that it would go up to the saddle horn. With the temperature being around 45 degrees, I don't think a swim sounds very appeasing.
Never fear, though, as this time can be used to plan rides for the summer. In this post, I am going to share with you some sources you can use to research some trail rides. I know I've been planning like crazy...
...which brings me to some exciting upcoming blog posts! We have three very local trails here in north central Iowa, which I am looking forward to sharing with you as more time becomes available to me, hopefully in the near future. To whet your appetite for trail riding, let me share some tidbits with you on these great locations:
-Pilot Knob, Forest City, IA: This location is great for an afternoon ride mixed with some hills and flat areas to gallop. A water tank is even furnished so riders can get water for their horses. Remember to bring your buckets! Of course, one trail takes riders by the ever-so-mysterious tower on the second highest point in Iowa. While the trail that goes up to the tower is not an equestrian trail, a person with a wild streak could probably ride up there at night. The ghost of Worm, a boy who hung himself at the tower, might greet you atop the hill. And a word to the wise, never ride out there at night.
-Bill Johnson's trails, Belmond, IA: If scenery is important, this ride is the one for you. There are dozens of man-made trails at this place, which is just southeast of Belmond, where there are many creek crossings and hills offered. In the summer when it is dry, you can even go down to the river with your horse to take a dip! On one of the trails, there's even a stump with a toilet seat on it with the middle cut out just so you can take a bathroom break, if you must.
-Lime Creek Nature Center, Mason City, IA: This area is a great place to get horses used to the idea of trail riding. Most of the land is flat. There are many different types of grasses and other plants in the nature center to view. There is lots of room for a good gallop and even a pond or two that you can introduce your horse to if you so choose. A railroad track is nearby the nature center, which is a great desensitization tool for you. There also is a little bit rougher riding farther into the nature center where there are more logs to cross over and more hills. All in all, Lime Creek makes for a fun afternoon.
And if these places sound exciting to you, then this news will be even better: I have rides planned at Mystery Cave State Park in Minnesota, another trip to River Valley Lodge and Campground and the Shimek Forest in Farmington, and possibly a ride to Brushy Creek in Fort Dodge. And it gets better. My friend and I, in July, will be spending a week in the Black Hills in South Dakota! There will be a daily blog post corresponding with each day spent in the Black Hills, along with many pictures of our experiences.
So, are you ready for an adventure? It's easy to begin planning, with a little help from the Internet. Start by thinking about what kind of ride you want, who will go with you, what area you want to visit, and how long you want the trip to be. Also consider the fitness level of you and your horse and what type of ride you desire. Do you want to be climbing mountains or galloping in grassy prairies? Can your horse handle hard riding, or does he have a condition that requires less of a grueling ride?
After determining what type of trip you want to have, it's time to start researching. There are about four different sites that I use regularly to make decisions.
~www.horsetraildirectory.com: This website lists trails across the United States that have been reviewed by other riders. You can click on the state you want to ride in, and a list of trails and campgrounds will come up. The rides are star rated, one through five, by campsite and by trails. You can read reviews by other riders, determine how many miles of trails there are, and learn what city the trail is in. Trails are also rated by difficulty, ranging from easy, more difficult, rigorous, and challenging. The trails may also include links to websites and descriptions of the trails.
~www.horseandmuletrails.com: This site is a great site if you want to find day rides and overnight rides. You can click on any state and find trail rides within that state. Anyone can submit a trail to the website. Often, descriptions include where the trail is, whether or not it allows camping, and what the trail contains (hills, streams, etc.). Sometimes, there are links to websites. The downside to this site is that there is not always a lot of information regarding a trail or a link to more information. An additional plus for using this site is also sources of places you can layover for breaks or for nights with your horse.
~www.bestofamericabyhorseback.com: This site is based off of the television show Best of America by Horseback, which is hosted by Tom Seay. If you want to find the most fantastic rides on earth, this site is it. It gives links to the websites that the show has visited in the past. I think you can even view episodes of shows on the website (if not, it does tell you that the show is featured on RFD-TV). The downfall to this site is that it only features the top trails on the country. If you're in Iowa, chances are, a trail from there hasn't been featured. However, you can certainly gawk and drool and the gorgeous scenery offered from faraway sites.
~State DNR sites: This is very helpful in planning a camping trip and finding out if there are trails near you. The site tends to be a little difficult to navigate, but if you are looking for a certain state park or forest, you can type it into the search box and the park will likely come up. This site will tell you where the camping is and the type of flora, wildlife, and environment you may encounter. Unique to this site are the pictures that come with!
Reserve America and the National Parks are also two good sites to use if you are going to a bigger area. The National Park site comes with many pictures and lots of information on the riding. Reserve America will tell you when campsites are available, pricing, accommodations, and what type of campsites there are. The National Forest website is much like the National Park website, but with less pictures.
I've found really cool places to ride through these sources, and I know you will too!
Happy camping!
Kelsey
Never fear, though, as this time can be used to plan rides for the summer. In this post, I am going to share with you some sources you can use to research some trail rides. I know I've been planning like crazy...
...which brings me to some exciting upcoming blog posts! We have three very local trails here in north central Iowa, which I am looking forward to sharing with you as more time becomes available to me, hopefully in the near future. To whet your appetite for trail riding, let me share some tidbits with you on these great locations:
-Pilot Knob, Forest City, IA: This location is great for an afternoon ride mixed with some hills and flat areas to gallop. A water tank is even furnished so riders can get water for their horses. Remember to bring your buckets! Of course, one trail takes riders by the ever-so-mysterious tower on the second highest point in Iowa. While the trail that goes up to the tower is not an equestrian trail, a person with a wild streak could probably ride up there at night. The ghost of Worm, a boy who hung himself at the tower, might greet you atop the hill. And a word to the wise, never ride out there at night.
-Bill Johnson's trails, Belmond, IA: If scenery is important, this ride is the one for you. There are dozens of man-made trails at this place, which is just southeast of Belmond, where there are many creek crossings and hills offered. In the summer when it is dry, you can even go down to the river with your horse to take a dip! On one of the trails, there's even a stump with a toilet seat on it with the middle cut out just so you can take a bathroom break, if you must.
-Lime Creek Nature Center, Mason City, IA: This area is a great place to get horses used to the idea of trail riding. Most of the land is flat. There are many different types of grasses and other plants in the nature center to view. There is lots of room for a good gallop and even a pond or two that you can introduce your horse to if you so choose. A railroad track is nearby the nature center, which is a great desensitization tool for you. There also is a little bit rougher riding farther into the nature center where there are more logs to cross over and more hills. All in all, Lime Creek makes for a fun afternoon.
And if these places sound exciting to you, then this news will be even better: I have rides planned at Mystery Cave State Park in Minnesota, another trip to River Valley Lodge and Campground and the Shimek Forest in Farmington, and possibly a ride to Brushy Creek in Fort Dodge. And it gets better. My friend and I, in July, will be spending a week in the Black Hills in South Dakota! There will be a daily blog post corresponding with each day spent in the Black Hills, along with many pictures of our experiences.
So, are you ready for an adventure? It's easy to begin planning, with a little help from the Internet. Start by thinking about what kind of ride you want, who will go with you, what area you want to visit, and how long you want the trip to be. Also consider the fitness level of you and your horse and what type of ride you desire. Do you want to be climbing mountains or galloping in grassy prairies? Can your horse handle hard riding, or does he have a condition that requires less of a grueling ride?
After determining what type of trip you want to have, it's time to start researching. There are about four different sites that I use regularly to make decisions.
~www.horsetraildirectory.com: This website lists trails across the United States that have been reviewed by other riders. You can click on the state you want to ride in, and a list of trails and campgrounds will come up. The rides are star rated, one through five, by campsite and by trails. You can read reviews by other riders, determine how many miles of trails there are, and learn what city the trail is in. Trails are also rated by difficulty, ranging from easy, more difficult, rigorous, and challenging. The trails may also include links to websites and descriptions of the trails.
~www.horseandmuletrails.com: This site is a great site if you want to find day rides and overnight rides. You can click on any state and find trail rides within that state. Anyone can submit a trail to the website. Often, descriptions include where the trail is, whether or not it allows camping, and what the trail contains (hills, streams, etc.). Sometimes, there are links to websites. The downside to this site is that there is not always a lot of information regarding a trail or a link to more information. An additional plus for using this site is also sources of places you can layover for breaks or for nights with your horse.
~www.bestofamericabyhorseback.com: This site is based off of the television show Best of America by Horseback, which is hosted by Tom Seay. If you want to find the most fantastic rides on earth, this site is it. It gives links to the websites that the show has visited in the past. I think you can even view episodes of shows on the website (if not, it does tell you that the show is featured on RFD-TV). The downfall to this site is that it only features the top trails on the country. If you're in Iowa, chances are, a trail from there hasn't been featured. However, you can certainly gawk and drool and the gorgeous scenery offered from faraway sites.
~State DNR sites: This is very helpful in planning a camping trip and finding out if there are trails near you. The site tends to be a little difficult to navigate, but if you are looking for a certain state park or forest, you can type it into the search box and the park will likely come up. This site will tell you where the camping is and the type of flora, wildlife, and environment you may encounter. Unique to this site are the pictures that come with!
Reserve America and the National Parks are also two good sites to use if you are going to a bigger area. The National Park site comes with many pictures and lots of information on the riding. Reserve America will tell you when campsites are available, pricing, accommodations, and what type of campsites there are. The National Forest website is much like the National Park website, but with less pictures.
I've found really cool places to ride through these sources, and I know you will too!
Happy camping!
Kelsey
