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Moonlight Rides

by Lorna Bergman, Fall Creek Farm, Clatskanie, Oregon

I guess that many of you have been looking out at the beautiful moonlight that is brightening up the night skies. Last night we went out and experienced it in its fullest sense. My mother (58), my niece
(12), and myself went for a moonlight ride. Randy, my husband was good enough to hook up to the trailer and haul us up to the trail head about 4 miles from the farm and turn us loose so that we would not
have to deal with quite so much traffic as it was already 8:30 pm. From that point we rode up onto private timber land. We rode the mares that have already had their foals weaned so that we could just turn them out when we got back to the farm without having to haul the stallions home at such a late hour. For six hours we rode. My mother rode Calaismachus ( pregnant with her 7 foal ), Veronica rode Windsong MLF (pregnant with her 3rd. foal and just recently broke to ride! ), and I rode Dharma (pregnant with her 5th. foal). The coyotes howled all around us for awhile, but then they decided we would not taste too good, so they left us alone. Dharma spotted the elk first and we were able to watch them run and bunch. For the first time I was able to hear the bull elk bugling to one another. My whole life lived around here and never to have heard elk bugle. What an awesome experience!!! Poor Veronica kept trying to fall asleep on Windsong, but then something would happen and she would wake up all over again. It has been many years since I went out for such a long period of time at night. What a balm for ones soul! Usually I end up going in January or February and you all know how cold it is then! We made it back to the barn at 2:30 am. Amazing how many people are up at that hour. Poor Veronica was late to school due to her "Family Outing"! Nothing like a nature walk at 2 in the morning. Those Haflingers are just simply amazing! Not one mare missed a beat the whole time and Dharma thinks that if she can make it under a fallen log then I should be able to as well. Well it is off to bed as the pears are done canning on the stove and my eyes are going closed. Sweet dreams to one and all. Remember, the next time you wake up and see such a beautiful moon you could be out enjoying it!!! We can't wait to get the next opportunity.