Part 1 - Hays Brook Equestrian Trail

There was still a lot of snow on the ground and my ankles were sore (I later learned I had torn tendons), but I decided to try a nice, level, easy hike. I took the five younger dogs down Route 458 to Route 30 to the Hays Brook Horse Trail:

We pulled in to the parking lot at the same time as a cross-country skier with a cattle dog. His dog, I thought, was threatening Fergus, but he instructed me to watch how it never bit, but only "pushed." He was right. He explained that was cattle dog herding behavior. For all my experience around dogs, that was new to me. But I concluded that he was right. Fergus, on the other hand, got out of the cattle dog's face in a big hurry!:

The skier and his dog headed for the three trails which crossed the Osgood River. I took my pooches down the horse trail where we'd taken so many rest stops in the past. I've always promised myself to hike this trail some time when Winky and Wally weren't around so we could go far enough to see where it led:

The snow was deeper than I'd expected and I walked carefully, mindful of my injured ankles, in the narrow path which skiers had created. The dogs mostly stayed in it also:

The snowy forest was beautiful and the dogs ran and played, filled with joy:

Fergus and Madeline raced back and forth while tubby ol' Seamus (who looks like a black dot on the trail in this photo) just waited for us:

Painful ankles or not, it was hard to be anything but happy in such breathtaking winter splendor:

Skinny little Clover was the only dog who strayed from the ski path, and she bounded through the deep snow without a qualm:

We traveled onward, enjoying the experience:

The ski tracks began to peter out as we progressed, making walking more difficult. But there was a lot more to see before we'd call it a day. I'll post Part 2 tomorrow: