We took a short section of the Ice Cave Trail near its trailhead, then went cross country north through the Forest, across Porter Creek and across the meadow to Porter Mountain Road. Along the way, we saw a variety of wildflowers. The irises were mostly by but the lilies, asters, paint brush, phlox, roses and other flowers I couldn’t identify were in full bloom. Cinnamon alerted when a juvenile jack rabbit ran across the trail in front of us. It was moving too fast to photograph.

When we got to Porter Mountain Road, I dismounted and led Cinnamon through the wire gates on either side. Cinnamon made a snack of the grass underfoot where I ground tied her while I closed the second gate. Ground tying is a skill horses must be taught. When the rider dismounts and drops the reins a horse that is trained to ground tie will stay where it is while the rider does something else such as opening and closing gates. Doing this with a horse that has not been trained to ground tie is likely to result in some unplanned hiking while trying to catch the horse. After closing the gate, I mounted Cinnamon and we continued across the meadow to the Jacques Ranch House chimneys. From there, we took the Porter Mountain Loop Motorized Trail up Timber Mesa to where the Timber Mesa Trail crosses it. We then took the Timber Mesa Trail to the Osprey Connector Trail.

Two advantages to riding a horse on the trails are that you can look at the scenery while the horse pays attention to the footing and sitting on top of a horse gives you views that can’t be seen when hiking or bicycling. The one disadvantage to being five feet off the ground is the tree limbs that are conveniently overhead for hikers and bicyclists may be in your face when you’re on a horse. On both Timber Mesa and Osprey Connector Trails, riding a horse provides views of Scott Reservoir that are more limited or invisible to hikers and bicyclists. I stopped Cinnamon to take a couple of photos of the lake.

When we got to the junction of the Timber Mesa and Osprey Connector Trails, Cinnamon recognized where we were going and happily turned the correct direction. We followed the Osprey Connector’s winding course down to Porter Mountain Road. The trail crosses a small canyon, goes beyond it then doubles back on itself almost parallel to the road before angling down to the Porter Mountain Road crossing.

The Osprey Connector Trail has four metal gates. Cinnamon helped me open these gates by turning and then side stepping parallel to the gate so I could lift the latch. She backed a half step, pivoted a quarter turn around her hind quarters, then walked through the gate, pivoted a quarter turn around her forehand until she was parallel to the gate, then sidestepped to close the gate and stood while I latched it. Each of these moves is a separate skill the horse needs to be taught. Cinnamon was quite proud of herself when she first figured out how to help me open gates. We rode through the gates on either side of Porter Mountain Road.

When I turned Cinnamon onto the Osprey Connector Trail, she looked over her shoulder toward our usual alternate route as if to say, “Why aren’t we going that way?” I told her I wanted to go this way. Cinnamon turned her attention to the Osprey Connector Trail. After winding through the trees, we crossed the irrigation ditch and headed down the hill to the creek. Cinnamon and I are much happier about crossing the irrigation ditch since a culvert was installed so horses can walk across the ditch instead of jumping it.

There are two gates on the trail on the bluff above Scott Reservoir. The fence around the second gate was damaged when a tree fell on it so the gate was sticking up at an odd angle and only sort of latched with a piece of wire. Cinnamon was able to help me open that gate but I had to dismount to close it. Cinnamon entertained herself eating a stick while ground tied. After figuring out how to secure the gate, I mounted and we continued down the trail. We did not see any other trail users on the Osprey Connector Trail that day.

At the junction of the Osprey Connector and Ice Cave Trails, we took the Ice Cave Trail to Scott Reservoir. Near the gate into Scott Reservoir Recreation Area, we caught up with a hiker who politely stepped off the trail to let us pass. Sometimes Cinnamon opens gates without my help. As we walked up to the metal gate into Scott Reservoir, she pushed it open with her nose instead of turning and sidestepping so I could open it. That gate is self-closing when it’s properly lubricated so Cinnamon doesn’t bother with closing it. Ordinarily I ask Cinnamon to close the gate when it doesn’t close itself but that would have been more nuisance than help to the hiker we had just passed so we continued down the trail.

I asked Cinnamon to running walk along the lake shore but she fox trotted instead. I stopped her to photograph some Canada Geese and goslings swimming in the lake and the Cormorants looking on from their perches on tree stumps in the water. When we resumed, Cinnamon found her running walk and did it the rest of the way along the shore and up the slope.

As we followed the Ice Cave Trail away from the lake toward the creek, we met a lady hiking toward us who exclaimed, “I’m jealous! I have horses but they are at home.” We stopped and I asked her where home was. She is from the vicinity of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and seemed both surprised and pleased to learn I knew where that is. She asked how I liked the bit-less, sidepull bridle I use on Cinnamon. We briefly discussed the pros and cons of hoof boots such as the Easyboot gloves Cinnamon was wearing instead of steel horse shoes. The lady decided Cinnamon was lucky to have such a good owner. Cinnamon busied herself with eating another stick while we chatted. We wished each other a good day and continued our separate ways.

A little further along the trail, Cinnamon and I met the Porter Mountain Riding Stable string of horses coming toward us. We got off the trail to let them pass and, as usual, the geldings ogled my pretty mare. When they were safely past us, we continued on our way home.