Rode today with two friends. While our fall colors are less than spectacular, the leaves are nice and crunchy, and the weather is perfect. I just had to take a video of the sounds. :winkgrin:
Love the crunchy sound! My ride sounded a bit like that today. The leaves are gradually falling. That is a high wire fence in the video, don’t think I have seen one that high around here.
That is one of the fences they put up for the Deer Deterrent areas. While it does spoil my ‘PA Wilds’ experience, they tend to have clear lanes all the way around them, making nice riding spots 
I’m not familiar with trail riding in VA, do you have a lot of State Forest lands with equestrian trails?
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I’m not familiar with trail riding in VA, do you have a lot of State Forest lands with equestrian trails?[/QUOTE]
In a word - yes. Look up the George Washington and Jefferson State Forests in Northern VA. Hundreds and hundreds of miles of trails, stunningly beautiful lands, mountains, streams, rivers. It’s also where the OD is held, among other endurance rides.
I loved the crunchy video! I didn’t get the chance yesterday to wade through crisp leaves as I basically stayed in the fields on my ride. So thanks for the opportunity to share your leaves! 
Thanks, I did google the GW & Jefferson, looks like a great place to ride I had to laugh tho, as I was scrolling thru the website, my DH walked past and said ‘new place to ride, or is that up in Livonia?’ :lol: I guess the Applachian Mt. chain looks pretty much alike for hundreds of miles. I, for one, am so grateful that we have these public lands accessible to us all, for all sorts of outdoor activities. We just found a new trail the other day, I’ve been riding here twenty years, and didn’t know it existed, WHEE! My riding buddy and I were so excited :winkgrin:
Maybe if the price of gas ever goes back down to a reasonable amount, I’ll get to ride the GW&J.
Glad you enjoyed the video, it was a PERFECT riding day, wasn’t it?
The fence is to keep the deer out or in? That’s different.
It sounded like that here too - great riding season.
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Maybe if the price of gas ever goes back down to a reasonable amount, I’ll get to ride the GW&J. Glad you enjoyed the video, it was a PERFECT riding day, wasn’t it?[/QUOTE]
It was a gorgeous day!!! Just can’t beat the late Fall for making one want to spend all day in the saddle looking up at the beautiful autumn trees.
Best yet is to ride when the leaves are falling all around you like a colorful snow storm. I love those type of rides. My pony - not as enthused. He gets annoyed at being constantly assaulted on his face by those pesky leaves. Oh, yes. It’s terrible. He so lives such a hard life. 
Katyb, the fence is to keep the deer out. IIRC they felt they were decimating the young trees, creating more undergrowth like Laurel and Rhodo’s. But it has been a few years since I’ve seen anything on it. They have been putting those fences in for about 20 years or so. Since the deer population in my area as dropped dramatically, I’m not sure it is still an issue.
gothedistance, my mare does not have a sense of humor about such things either :lol: She gets particularly annoyed if one falls on her rump. Her tail goes crazy till I swipe it off. Poor, misunderstood horses!
I also enjoy riding in a quiet snowfall too. But a howling blizzard I’ll enjoy from inside, thank you!
Lawndart, I am quite a bit south of Gothedistance. We have a lot of parks and forests in this area too that have horse trails. I am lucky that the farm where I board is 100 acres and we have permission to ride on several neighboring farms as well. I also belong to a “riding club” that is 2000 acres. That place is only a 20 minute drive from where I board.
I thought about you yesterday, lawndart, as we waded through crunchy leaves on a beautiful ride at Lake Ontelaunee in south central PA,
:)
Hey there! I’ve been enjoying the crunchy leaves and gorgeous weather this week too! I was wearing my orange this week, wondered if I should add my bells and then later realized no one would hear the bells over the racket the leaves make anyway! Sometimes I just like the bells, reminds me of driving the pony we used to have.
In the video… off of Pipeline? Looks like it, but looks more narrow so maybe not?
Someone told me they are supposed to take those fences down after a period of time, but I’ve lived here only four years and seen three fences go up within a few miles of me, and none come down. What gives?!?!? It looks (from all the orange tape and blue paint) that one of my favorite trails (Kelly) is going to be next :mad: I don’t know what “deer” they are keeping out with these fences. I’m really amazed at how little wildlife I see around here considering how many acres of state forest there are!
So… where’s the “new trail”? Not that I’m going to trailer out any more this season. Just stickin’ close to home for now most likely.
Not pipeline, Cranberry Bog.
Occasionally they remove a fence, but it seems like two more spring up. I hope they are getting something from their time, and our money!!
New trail is off of the Red Tongue Trail. A bugger to find, but it was worth it.
Oh wow, yeah I only rode Red Tongue once, it was very rocky and happened to be half water the time I went! It was like riding down a rocky river except it was murky and we couldn’t see the rocks under the water. So I never noticed a trail off of it. Across the road there’s Spike Buck trail. Every time we ride that we have “an incident” :lol: of some sort, but it’s a nice trail.
Another thing I love about fall riding in the mountains are the views! I rode a trail this week that I guess I’ve never ridden in the later part of fall… I never realized I was riding on a ridge and the view through the mostly-bare trees was fantastic!
Thanks for sharing the crunchy ride! I really enjoyed it–also enjoyed seeing the palomino butt–my last mare was a palomino–beautfiul! (looks like you were also riding one??)
Yep, I ride a Palomino too. There are three of us women who ride Palomino’s together, of various shades of gold. Not planned but it worked out that way.
The roan in that video is enough of an unusual color too, that we get lots of screeching stops when we cross roads Usually there are at least 2 kids plastered against the car windows. We wave, invite them to pet if it is a safe situation.
