Riding around the pond today the wild flowers glowed in the sun and the scent of the cherry-laden trees almost didn’t seem real. This is the Disney version of trail riding where the landscape is vibrant, the air is crisp and the deer pose by the woods, still as statues.

If only it would last! As I recall, last year my last deer fly free ride was July 4th. After that, I had to drape my horses in bug armor and soak them in Deep Woods Off. That’s why I’m determined to ride every day until the bugs come back, even those days when I only have time for a short hack.