Favorite Quotes

As I was out enjoying and my horse and the beautiful view of the Snake River today I was mulling through my mind where I was a year ago with Thunder. And I thought, wow! Have we come a long ways, I sure wouldn't have been out riding him all by myself! That took until last summer before i did that.

One of my favorite quotes after my "crash" is John Wayne's "Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway." That quote just speaks volumes, and it hangs on the wall of my utility room so I see it every time I walk in the door. But it also assumes that you are getting on the horse, so my addition to that quote is "Real courage is being scared to death but riding the horse anyway."

A few more strides on the trail mixed with fleeting thoughts and I recalled how last fall at Owyhee some people thought it amazing that I had ridden this horse after all that we went through. Trot, trot, trot. Yeah, but I told myself so many people tried to DIScourage me from riding him that they almost had me believing that I couldn't. Thank God I had friends who ENcouraged me and told me that I COULD ride him! Truth was that I had to ride him. I had my doubts but when I thought of that "Courage"quote and John Wayne it was "I can do this!" Trot, trot, trot, ever notice how discourage and encourage both use the word COURAGE yet have such different meanings? It's so easy to influence people by the use of words. Lope, lope, trot, I would have missed out on so much fun had I not ridden him. John Wayne also said "A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do." Trot, trot, trot, Thunder and I have shared some great trail moments in the Owyhees and Sawtooths. Oh he's still a hot head and a handful, but we are working at it. Trot, trot, trot, and a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do too. So little time to ride compared to all the other things I have to do. OK Thunder we gotta make plans for this summer. And sometime I have to start riding your cousin too.

Thunder lopes along effortlessly through the sage and sand and the view of the Snake River is just gorgeous. Curlew are swirling overhead and whistling, they are upset at a hawk flying in their territory. The sky is dark to the south and looks like snow down by Three Fingers. The sandy road tracks down the hill with the amazing vista of farms mixed with wide open spaces on the other side of the river. Life is good, thanks for the ride Thunder!

Ride to Three Fingers

Yesterday was a beautiful day and my friend, Josette, and I decided to ride out to Board Corral. The route takes us on Kettle Camp Rd, past the Devils Gate, over some hills and rocks down into the gulch and canyon known as Board Corral. I discovered there are no baordsa at Board Corral, it is almost a box canyon. The high cliff walls have caves that we didn't explore, figured we'd find a rattle snake or two. There is a spring with a trough full of water and some green grass on the other side of the fence. Elevation is roughly 3900 feet. We had a snack and some water and decided that we weren't done yet. "Doesn't seem like much of a ride." said my die hard friend. "You want to go ride out towards Three Fingers?" I quickly answered "Sure! I'm game!"
So we traveled on towards Three Fingers Butte, once known as the Prince of The Owyhees - so I'm told. This rough rugged rocky topped Butte stands around 4900 feet. The grass was thick and tall. Thunder thought it was a great pasture. It was a rugged rocky trek to the edge of the rocks that top out the Butte but what a magnificent view! We could see for miles. It was absolutely beautiful as the tall grasses waved in the breeze.
On the way back we watered the horses once again in Board Corral. Here we met up with one of those pesky rattlers on the way in. He was in the grass near the creek where it was cool. Then we found another one when we were almost back to the trailer near Succor Creek Rd. Summer must be getting here if the snakes are out.
What a great ride! We went about 30 miles and sure saw lots of desert and rocks! Years ago when I first saw Three Fingers I never thought I'd get to ride to it. What an awesome experience!