This is the Every Trail Interactive map that shows our entire parade and trail ride route. Feel free to zoom in and get a better view of the route we rode that day.
Christmas de Caballos Parade
EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking near Albuquerque, New Mexico
These red pushpins on the map below show our parade route, south on Corrales Rd to Jones Rd, which leads to the Corrales Community Center and Top Form Arena. The pin at the end of Jones Rd shows the Skate Park, which Apache had concerns about because of all the skateboarders there that day.
The Push Pins also show where were had to ride from Jones Rd, north alongside the busy Corrales Rd to get to Village Pizza, between Chavez Lane and La Entrada.
And then finally you can see where we left Village Pizza and crossed the road to La Entrada and rode alongside the roadway west towards the Ditch Bank trails. The northernmost push pin is where we had to walk alongside a fence with three very large, barking and lunging dogs.
A close-up view showing the location of Village Pizza, and the location where we tied up our horses. The top pushpin shows where we crossed Corrales Rd to get to La Entrada Rd to ride west to the Ditch Bank trails.
Once we arrived at Top Form Arena and the Corrales Community Center, it was time to turn around and make our way to Village Pizza for lunch.
This was when Apache and I had our first and only “moment” of the day. We ended up in front and in the lead, riding east on Jones Rd., and Apache got a little excited and wanted to keep breaking into a trot, which I felt was unsafe because of all of the other horses, cars and pedestrians all around us. At first I became a little worried about her forward, prancy energy, but my instinct kicked in, and I just slid my hand down and one-reined Apache around to the back of our little group, where she was happy to return to walking calmly and quietly.
When we arrived at the end of Jones Rd, we had a little problem……
Problem was, the parade was over, and traffic was permitted to drive on Corrales Rd, so we had to ride across Corrales Rd, with the assistance of a Cross-Walking Guard. And then we had to ride north on Corrales Rd., alongside traffic, for about 1/4 mile to reach Village Pizza. This was a first time experience for me, and it was a little nerve-racking to ride our horses alongside so much traffic. But our horses were all well-behaved, brave and calm, and we finally arrived at Village Pizza.
The 5 of us dismounted and hitched up our horses to the trees and rail on the side of the restaurant, and then we mosied on inside for a yummy lunch of pizza, soup and salad…..with our equestrian discount, of course.
Kendra and I ate outside as I suffered from a claustrophobic hot flash and the restaurant was just too stuffy and hot inside. Our friend Matt, who was at Village Pizza for lunch, too, took a photo of Kendra and I outside on the patio enjoying our lunch.
And I took a photo of Matt right after he mounted up on his sweet Clydesdale gelding, Prince.
Matt is a member of the New Mexico Mounted Search and Rescue and he and his fellow NMMSAR crew were at the parade to maintain safety along the parade route. Here is a photo Matt shared with me, taken at the Top Form Arena after the parade.
All of our ponies were happy to wait patiently outside Village Pizza until we returned with carrots from the salad bar. And Melissa’s family was there for lunch, too, and had brought a bag of apples for all of our horses. Apache was a very happy girl!
Cute photo of our horses along with Antonio and Melissa.
These two push pins below show the section of La Entrada Rd where we rode alongside the roadway from Village Pizza, on Corrales Rd, to finally reach the Ditch Bank trails, which travel north to south in the center of the Village of Corrales.
After we left behind Village Pizza, we had to ride across Corrales Rd, which thankfully, had not one car on it when we crossed over to La Entrada Rd.
We had to ride alongside La Entrada Rd for about a half mile to reach the ditch bank trails, which was a little unnerving because there was no shoulder. But it was an uneventful and quiet ride with only one or two cars that passed us. Melissa’s family decided to ride along behind us to keep any cars from riding too close to us, and I thought that was very nice of them. Especially since, at one point, we had to ride alongside a fence with three large barking, lunging dogs, and Apache decided she felt safer riding along the edge of the roadway until we were past those dogs.
And then we finally reached the beautiful tree-lined, sandy, flat ditch-bank trails.
The ditch-bank trails are wonderfully relaxing even with the noise and activity from dogs barking from behind fences, hikers, bike riders, and home-owners working in their backyards.
Melissa and her boy Pal.
We saw some beautiful views from the trails, along with ducks and migrating Sand Hill Cranes. Apache was very interested in the flocks of noisy cranes, especially when they all took flight at once from the field.
Apache and I both enjoyed the tree-lined trails and riding along slowly at a walk. But we also had some fun trotting to catch up with our friends when we’d get too far behind.
We rode past a few pastures with galloping, excited horses that neighed and whinnied at us as we rode past. Apache was very looky, but not at all concerned. The only time she seemed a little worried was when we rode past a pasture with a lone donkey that followed us along the fence-line. Apache didn’t like when we left the donkey behind and kept wanting to turn her head to keep an eye on it.
But mostly the ditch-bank trails were just wonderfully relaxing.
We had to cross many little side roads, which were mostly quiet and empty of cars, although we did come upon a few bicyclists and some cars that respectfully slowed down and stopped far back from where we were to cross the road.
Shadow Riders at Sunset.
Apache seemed to enjoy riding the ditch-bank trails as much as I did.
We weren’t the only horseback riders riding along the ditch-banks. Everyone we met were very friendly. And it was great to see fellow horseback riders out enjoying the trails and their horses in the beautiful weather.
This building had mirrored windows and I just had to try and take a photo with my mare and I reflected in them.
We finally reached Wagner Farms and rode east towards the horse trailer parking and parade staging area.
Altogether, with the parade route, the ride to Village Pizza and the ditch-bank trails, we rode just over 6 miles. It was an awesome day of dreams come true with good friends and our special horses.
This is the Every Trail Interactive map that shows our entire parade and trail ride route. Feel free to zoom in for close-ups.
Christmas de Caballos Parade
EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking near Albuquerque, New Mexico
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