When my kids were little they both loved the book Owl Moon by Jane Yoder. In it, a father takes his child (the gender is somewhat ambiguous) owling on a winter’s night.
This evening I left the barn for a short hack just 15 minutes before the sun set. As we walked through the woods, I heard the unmistakable call of a Barred Owl. Zelda and I got as close as we could to the sound, which of course was not on the trail! At one point, we were rewarded by the sound of an answering hoot. Not as deep and not as loud. The two owls talked to each other for several minutes while Zelda and I stood as still as possible in the woods, not wanting to interrupt.
There is definitely something magical about being in the woods in the dark, listening to the crunch of leaves under hoof and being serenaded by the owls.
I loved that book as well! What a wonderful post about a twilight trail ride in the Fall.
I love listening to the owls. This time of year they are quite active, especially around dusk.
I love that book also! Whenever I hear owls, it is nearly always a magical experience and has a wonderful affect on the listeners.
Because I hardly ever have the opportunity to ride a horse, especially at night, I never experienced listening to owls at night on a horse, but I can imagine the affect it results in.
Great post!
I rarely ride in the woods at night but tonight it just seemed like the perfect plan.
Great book, well-written post. Loved the imagery you conjured up in my mind about yours and Zelda’s owl-listening ride.