Halloween Wind Caves

Halloween weekend. The final Northwest ride for 2010. A 2-day event of sand, rocks, gopher holes, gravel roads, sagebrush, canyons and a few stray trees not far from the Snake River and Oregon Trail.

PLUS a history lesson. This was the land of the Utter Disaster, often referrred to as one of the worst Indian attacks on the Oregon Trail. On September 9& 10, 1860, the Utter/Van Ormen WagonTrain engaged in a life-and-death struggle with attacking Indians near Castle Butte.
The assault on the wagon train of forty-four emigrants led by Elijah P. Utter resulted in the deaths of six men, two women, and three children. Indian casualties were estimated at between 25 and 30. Survivors followed the Snake River to near the mouth of the OwyheeRiver. When rescued by the Army 40 days later, only fifteen had survived the ordeal of hunger and deprivation. This sign is posted on Hwy 78 near Wees Rd. It's an amazing story!

I opted to ride the 75 miler because it was a big 55 mile loop out to the Birch Creek Canyon and the Wind Caves. I wouldn't have a bunch of little loops in and out of camp, which for me is a big bonus because I don't like a lot of loops. And my big treat for the day was the Wind Caves along the big sandy wash of Birch Creek. These are awesome formations with big holes a person can easily crawl through. I wonder if the Indians ever used them. The formations resemble a pile of skulls from a distance. Quite fitting for Halloween and it looked like they belonged in an Indiana Jones movie! Birch Creek Canyon and it's many rock formations was great also but I was busy watching trail and footing and found it hard to ride with camera in hand. I'd like to go back for a day ride and take lots of photos.

Thunder gave me a fine ride on the 75. Back in camp for the final vet check my riding partners both got pulled. This left us 12 miles to go by ourselves, creating a new adventure. I wondered if Thunder might miss his buddies and be reluctant to leave camp? Nope! He didn't even look back and cantered happily down the trail. We trotted as much as we could and it got dark on us about 45 minutes out of camp. I'd ridden Thunder in the dark before but not just the two of us. It's a great experience trotting along, trusting your horse to judge the footing and choose the pace. I was pretty proud of him as he did fantastic! John Teeter did a superb job of putting out glo sticks so I never questioned where the trail went. I did finally turn my light on for the last couple miles as we went through some gates and I wanted to be sure to stay out of any wire. I didn't need to worry about gopher holes because Thunder wasn't going near any of them. We finished about 8:50 PM, I think we were 6th out 8. Not great by some folks standards but I'd finished on a sound healthy horse that could have gone farther! True to form he gave me only one buck for the ride - thats my boy! Some days I get several. It was a great wrap up to a successful ride year.

Fall has Fell

Laps in the pasture, what better way to blow off some steam on a cool fall morning. The summer heat has stepped aside. This is the beginning of cooler days. I'm pretty sure a warm day will now be the exception. Even old Zap joined in for a short time.

Zap thought most of it was silly, afterall he is 27 this year. He preferred to keep eating that lush grass while Thunder & Blue ran circles around him.

Scarlet sneaking up on the inside of her mother, Hollie, trying to steal the lead. And she did. She might be little but she is quick!

Brother and sister having some fun. I think it's interesting how these two have joined up again after years of being apart.

Another lap around the field with Hollie out in front. She cheated and cut the corner, enjoying the run!

Lap after lap they ran, then they started to slow down. Trot around. Snort and blow. With all the frivolities over, it was simply time to graze.

More Canyonlands

I stir in my sleeping bag as I hear a soft nicker. Followed by a louder nicker. I hear a hoof pawing. Stomp! Stomp! A bucket makes a clang against the corral panels. Stomp! Stomp! Another whinny calls out. There is no doubt in my mind. It is Thunder, calling for room service! "Hey Lady! Breakfast time!"

"Ok Ok" I call to him. "I'm up!" As I step outside the moonlight is casting shadows everywhere. I don't need the flashlight as I give the boys their hay. Thunder continues to paw until I give him his soggy beet pulp with a bit of grain. Then all I can hear is "Slurp! Slosh! Slurp!" Oh yes and the thumping of Molly's wagging tail as she gets her dog food!

At a multi-day ride a routine quickly develops. Feed the horses and the dog. Breakfast. Walk the horses and the dog. Saddle up, pack the water bottles. Get the dog settled for the day. Bridle and interference boots. Ditch the jacket. Strap on the helmet. Mount up and get outta Dodge!

Each day at the Owyhee Canyonlands is a brand new adventure. Promises of old cabins, remnants of wagons, gorgeous vistas and a whole lot of trail! The Castle Creek ride on Day 2 offers some gorgeous views of several canyons where the rock walls harbor caves belonging to some citter. The first part of this ride is pretty hilly and rocky. We took our time, rode easy and got to the halfway vet check in 4 hours. After an hour of letting Thunder suck up all his food and my peanuts, we were ready to circle around back to camp.

It's hard to pick a favorite day because each one is beautiful in it's own way. But I do think my personal favorites were the 3rd and 4th days, Oregon Trail and Sinker Creek loops.

Merri Melde rode Blue on Day 3 and she took this shot of Thunder and I. T

The Oregon Trail 50, goes NW to the beautiful Rio Del Sierra Ranch. The owners amazingly welcome us each year and allow us to invade their pasture for our vet check. And it was our vet check not just once but twice as we had a circle of trail from the ranch that took us over the Oregon Trail. This section was quite rocky and went up a narrow ravine that makes one wonder how they ever got wagons through there. Up on top are some stretches of wagon ruts cut into the rock slabs. We traveled on out to a canyon lip that overlooked the glsitening Snake River far below. It was definitely a WOW moment! The route took us back to the Oregon Trail and the ranch for that second vet check mentioned earlier. Afterwhich we traveled across the varied terrain to Oreana and the Teeter's Ranch once again.

Day 4 is Sinker Creek, where we ride west of camp, with some good trotting ground before dropping elevation and passing through the rocky gates as the canyon walls come together. We crossed the creek about 30 times as we just kept looking up into the gorgeous rock formations and cathedral spires of the canyon walls. Later climbing and climbing back out and topping out on a plateau with yet another amazing view! One vet check on this day and then back around through Pickett Creek drainage and up onto the Hart Creek Rim trail. Thunder was so full of it along the rim that I was tired of him pulling on me. He knew where he was and wanted to go. So I led him for awhile until he settled down. Four days and still frolicking!

Day 5 used 2 loops out of camp so no vet crew bag to pack since we would return to camp halfway through the day. The loop went out across the highway through The Birds of Prey lands near Rye Patch and returned to camp for the first 25 miles. This was easier for crews and vets but a bit hard for the horses because so far each day, once in camp they were finished. But not this day. After their hour hold in the vet check they had to go back to another loop. I didn't want Thunder to think he was done for the day so I left him saddled. The plan seemed to work as we left camp and went out to Hart Creek. The trail took us through an old homestead and a neat dugout! Then farther up we interrupted a napping rattler who was pretty cranky after he almost got stomped on.

Thunder was really strong the last few miles in. I was with another 5-day rider, Drin Becker, and we were both certain our horses could have done another day if it was there. Thunder was just full of it! I think he was doing his "happy dance"!

Multi-day rides are so incredibly wonderful. You begin the week camping with a few friends, and before you know it everyone is your friend. It's hard to see the week end. You know that some of your new friends you won't see for a long time, or maybe not at all.

But the magic has to come to an end. And the sun sets on another adventure that goes into my treasure chest of fun and savage amusement!

Owyhee Adventure part 1

Blue: Hey Thunder, whadda ya suppose is down this road?

Thunder: I've been here before. A lot of horses go down this road to a big hill. The humans try to relive the Old West by riding us from here to the Snake River and the Oregon Trail.

Blue: I got to go on the East loop last year but not out to the Oregon Trail. Wow!

Thunder: You'll get to see it this year. You have a rider for Day 1. Follow me kid!

The Owyhee Mountain Range of SW Idaho is flanked by Hwy 78. To some it is a vast brown barren wasteland. To others, the high desert holds a rich history and a hidden beauty that at first you may have to look for. But then as the peace and serenity settles into your bones, you truly begin to appreciate the land. As you watch the sun come up over the horizons and the gold and pink hues in the landscape you begin to see it take on a life of it's very own. Little has changed in the Owyhees in the last 200 years. A few roads have been added but other than that, it is still the Old West where time has stood still. In the silence as you ride, you can hear the footfall of your horse, his every breath, the squeak of leather and if you are lucky, the call of a hawk.

As the sun rises on Sept 28, 2010; 68 riders saddle up and leave Oreana, Idaho. Their destination? Wild Horse Butte, the lands of Birds of Prey and the Snake River. It is more than a new dawn it is the beginning of a 5 day adventure through the Owyhees.

The trail left the Teeter's Ranch and climbed through washes to the open flats, heading east across Hwy 78. The footing was pretty sandy with rolling hills, cow trails and two-track roads out to the Snake River for a welcome chance to cool off and relax in the water. Leonard Liesens took the photo of everyone at the river as he was riding Z Blue Lightening, Thunder's cousin.

The route ambled along the Snake River for awhile then it was a climb up out of the lowlands and soon we were on the Oregon Trail. One can't help but wonder what the pioneers thought as they left that beautiful river behind and headed out into the dust. Perhaps there was more grassland then and less sagebrush but it was still pretty dry. I am thankful for a good horse that can go 50 miles day and not 3 miles a day like those wagons did! UGH!

After the vet check we had 16 miles of trails and two truck with more gulleys, arroyos, hills and sand. Some places were a bit tricky and Thunder felt good and threw in a couple bucks. Once as we were trotting along he leaped straight in the air! I think I heard a rattler but I was pretty busy trying to stay right side up!

I was pleased Blue could give his rider, Leonard Liesens of Belgium, his first look at the Oregon Trail! Leo thought that was pretty cool! There were a few pulls the first day but nothing serious and we were all happy to see camp! The horses vetted through without any trouble and we had a completion for day 1 before 2 PM!

Once finished though the work begins for the next day. Take care of the ponies so they can go again the next day. Go get your vet crewbag and repack it, load it in the rig going to the vet check so you will have all your stuff. Wash out your equipment so it is clean and ready. Feed the horse some more and pay attention to every little nick and bump so he can keep going. Go shower. Walk the ponies and play with Molly Dog. Dinner for me then more dinner for the horses. It never ends but I love it!! Even though I will get up in the middle of the night just to check and be sure the horses are fine. Toss them more hay and tell them good night once more.

Welcome Home Scarlet

If you love something set it free, if it comes back to you it's yours, if it doesn't it never was.

This would be the tale of Z Blazen Scarlet. I bred and raised her along with a few others. I wanted to breed Arabian horses of Crabbet and Davenport heritage. Then circumstances forced me to disperse most of the Rushcreek mares and a couple foals. It was hard to know what to sell, I just priced most of them and let destiny takes it's course.

Scarlet was sold as a yearling and went to live near Portland wtih Jessica Anderly. Then roughly two years ago when Jess moved, she was purchased by Karen Steenhof and was in Idaho. A year later she was purchased by Cindi Hein, and went to Utah.

A couple months ago, after acquiring a gaited horse, Cindi made the difficult decision to sell Scarlet but felt no one would come view her there. So I said bring her here, lots of Arabian lovers, endurance and trail riders, and I'll find her a home. Fate and God have a way of working things out and you don't even see it coming. Scarlet came and it was like an old friend showing up. You just take up where you last left off. Then McKenzie and Riley started riding her. Before you know it that little red mare had worked her way back in.

It appears that Scarlets life has completed the circle, she is back home with her family. Where she was evidently meant to be. The girls love riding the cute little red mare who turned out to be just their size. Life is good and all things happen for a reason. We set her free, and now she is back.

Riding Old Selam

The Old Selam endurance ride near Centerville, ID, just North of Idaho City, is one of my all time favorite rides. The ride always delivers good footing, hills, scenery and creeks. Plus I love Idaho City, another old mining boomtown with many historic buildings. It’s always fun to take some time and check it out. I usually see something I haven’t paid attention to like the pictured jail, or as the sign calls it “Pest House”. Hard to believe these tiny towns had populations of around 3000 in their prime during the gold rush.


The ride camp is on Oscar Baumhoff’s property on the banks of Henry Creek, a mining hot bed in the 1860’s. This has been home to the ride since 1996. The ride was first held in 1976, when camp was near one of the old barns at the Old Idaho Penitentiary in Boise, which closed in 1973. I first rode it in 1979, and we took a tour of the old prison which is now a museum and all the houses have since been restored.
“What an odd place for a ride?” is perhaps what you are pondering, and you might be thinking that I misspelled the name too. The ride name, Old Selam, is no mistake. Selam was a cart horse used at the prison. In his day he was a fine carriage and riding horse. But in 1901 the aging grey gelding was used as an escape vehicle; not once but twice!

On Christmas Eve in 1901, "Bob" Meeks, a member of the Butch Cassidy gang, was working around the hog pens in the prison complex when he unhitched Selam from the wagon and literally headed for the hills! Trackers found the harness Meeks cut from Selam and also where Meeks had gotten off Selam and walked alongside him as they climbed the steep hillsides. Meeks was re-captured on Christmas Day, and both he and Selam were returned to the prison.

The second escape was on December 30, 1901. As the lights in the prison began to dim that morning, an investigation showed that trustee Sam Bruner was not at his duty station in the power plant. A check of the prison revealed that Old Selam, as well as a saddle and bridle, were missing. The sheriff’s posse never caught Sam or Selam, who together made a rare and successful escape from the penitentiary.

Over the years I have ridden this ride about ten times on several different horses, usually a 50 miler but also as a 2-day 100 in 1980 on Sunny Spots R. The ride was darn tough as we left the old prison and traveled up the Boise Front, and it was easy to see why it was a 2-day 100 and not a one-day. The first day we had gorgeous warm weather and the next it was cold and raining! about ten years ago Andi & I rode it together and Steve Bradley's photo of us made the cover of AERC News.

Two day rides have gained popularity here in Idaho. The last few years the club that puts on the ride, Southwest Trail and Distance Rides (SWIT&DR), has taken advantage of the holiday weekend and provided riders with two days of trails! I had planned on riding the second day, just like last year, so I didn’t have to take any time off work or fight holiday traffic on Labor Day weekend. I tripped upon the post on Facebook to enter Easyboots free entry contest, and I was fortunate to be chosen. Thank-you Easyboot!!!!!

I drove up the winding mountain road to ride camp Saturday morning so I could volunteer and help with pulsing or whatever was needed. I arrived, set up camp, and then 50 mile horses were coming in off of loop 2. Taking pulses in vet checks is always a great learning experience and a good way to meet new riders. Awards and a tasty potluck dinner took place after the ride, followed by the ride meeting of all these many colored ribbons and loops which always confuses me! There would be a big reader board at the timers to help everyone know which loop was what combination of colors.

Sunday morning, Sept 5, it was MY turn to ride. I was so excited. Yes I still get excited after all these years and miles because I just love to ride. I had my chestnut, Z Summer Thunder ready to go. Amanda Washington was riding my other horse, Z Blue Lightening. It isn’t often I get both horses out at once and I was thankful Amanda had wanted a horse to ride. She loves Blue and he was long overdue for a ride! Both horses were outfitted in Easyboot Gloves on all four barefoot hooves.

The first loop started uphill, which was a great way to settle the boys down and make them work. They needed to get their minds off tricks and spooks. The 20 mile loop traveled around the hills, through the woods with beautiful open vistas of the vast countryside. Lots of ups and downs, some over 5000 feet elevation and camp was near 4100 feet. The footing was fantastic over old soft logging roads and pine needle covered trails. Back in camp for a vet check and a 45 minute hold. Thunder had a 52 pulse and Blue had a 48 so yeah, we were riding hard! HAHA! I kept saying, I’m saving it for the Owyhee Canyonlands 5-day.

The second loop was harder but we had many crossings of Grimes, Clear and Henry Creeks. The banks of which had piles of rock from dredging out gold ore in the old days. But the water was so perfectly clear! I looked but didn’t see any gold nuggets.

The horses had many opportunities to drink and soak their Glove covered hooves in the cold mountain creeks! This loop seemed endless as we’d climb up, drop down to a creek, then climb up again. The narrow trails made the horses think and watch their footing. But it was so beautiful that it was pretty hard to complain. The dirt roads sparkled with “fools gold” or micah, aka pyrite, which must have driven the miners absolutely nuts! One section of trail traveled through an old water flume built in the 1860's.


The last loop was 10 miles that was described as “Just some hill at first then flat.” Well I had to chuckle about that because I know that flat ground in this country is pretty rare. The little roller coaster loop also had some motorcycle moguls that slowed us down some. But like the other two loops, it was challenging and gorgeous.
I’m not sure where we finished, it didn’t matter because we had FUN! The boys looked great and our time was 6:50. The Gloves hadn’t given us any trouble at all, they never do. There were several other “booters” out there on both days. Easyboot had donated several pairs of Gloves that were awarded for Best Condition or High Vet Score both days.
One of the finer things about this ride was not one single horse needed to be treated. Everyone took good care of their horses and the veterinarians did a wonderful
job. To say a great time was had by all is a huge understatement. I guess you just have to come ride it for yourself and experience Old Selam!

TICKLED PINK

Hey are you riding PF?

What's a PF?

Oh it's the Pink FlamingoEndurance ride.

Really? You riding a Flamingo?

No but there are flamingos in camp.

Well is it a bunch of Florida transplants having an endurance ride?

No but there are a few dressed up like flamingos.

Are you herding Flamingo's?

No.

The Pink Flamingo Classic is a great fundraiser for Breast Cancer, via an endurance ride and fantastic raffle. There are awards for the best decorated campsites and the best costumed flamingo rider too. The ride takes place in the hills near Cascade, ID., south of McCall. A sign at the edge of camp reads "Release your inner Flamingo!" I've ridden it the last two years but only one day. This year - I really wanted to ride both days. It wasn't a two-day 100 but in my mind it had to be a 2-day 100. That way, I was committed to both days unless something came up to really stop me. In order to be successful I had to keep my horse sound and healthy AND not get off trail.

The first day I rode with Carrie on the horse she bought from my daughter. Kinda strange traveling alongside the horse that Al had only wanted to see Andi ride before he died. A dream that never happened, and I found myself hoping he was watching his horse go down the trail. Thunder and Crusty trotted along well together and Carrie and I were having a good ride. The trails were beautiful, the footing was great and it was a gorgeous day. Only her easyboot that she put on was twisted and the cable too tight and it was pinching Crusty's heel bulb. So she cut the cable, and rode him barefoot the last loop.

I went on ahead and rode with Layne and Jenny. Almost missed a turn, thanks Layne, she put me back on course. This was the first time I'd ridden with Layne on Harley, who happens to be Thunder's only son. Harley is the chestnut who's head is in the feed tub in the picture. Harley really trots out, spooks and is as silly as his dad! Amanda was just leaving the creek as we arrived, and she decided to wait for us. Good thing too or she would have missed the great kodak moment of Harley laying down in the creek with Layne. Oh that was so funny we laughed all the rest of the way in! Layne had one wet shoe and one dry shoe when we all crossed the finish line!

Day 2, my horse looks great so I ride out with Bob Lund. I wanted to go a bit slower than our 6 1/2 hr time for day 1. Bob's horse is tall and has a huge stride but he wanted to slow down and we had a good day. I missed a couple turns but never went far, just not watching close enough I guess because they were marked! Somehow the hills didn't seem quite as long on day 2 and again the footing was great. The creeks and water stops were so nice, and the little lake was gorgeous. We finished the second day in 7 hrs and 50 min so I was pleased with that. Thunder looked great and his Easyboot Gloves hadn't budged a bit.

The woods are so cool and lovely that I really didn't want to head back down to the valley in the heat. An extra day would have been so nice but I had to work Monday to support my endurance habit. :-) However, I will go back to Cascade and ride the Pink Flamingo next year!

My Quest for the "perfect" saddle

Has anyone else out there had this joyful task of late? What a pain in the Wazoo!!

As a kid I rode bareback for a year, worked hard and saved my $$ and bought a saddle for $85. Then I traded the saddle and $15 to boot for a horse. Then I was bareback again until I saved enough $$ for my fancy buckstitch tooled saddle. It was so gorgeous I didn't want to mess it up so I still rode bareback!

But I don't want to ride bareback these days and I keep searching for my perfect saddle that may not exist.

I want - yes I want - a saddle with at least a 5 yr warranty on the tree. Do you realize how many have a 1 yr warranty? Boy are they proud of that one! And I don't want a plastic tree especially on a $1500 saddle. Where do they get off on that?!

And have you ever noticed how every saddle's customer testimonials read "The most comfortable saddle I have ever sat in"? Well maybe for their fanny but not mine.

Strangely enough the saddle needs to fit me and the horses.

I don't want custom because it will only fit the horse it is built for and who can afford two of those? The same applies to saddles made in a variety of tree widths. I don't want to have to play with parts and pieces to change the fit, nor do I want to turn a crank to adjust a saddle because who's to say I know what I am doing in that department.

And yes I had treeless also but didn't think they were really the best saddle for the horses. No weight distribution and there is pressure on the spine. I could always get on but I know people who have trouble with the stability of the treeless saddles. Cross them off my list.

Years ago I managed to find a saddle that amazingly fit everything we ever put it on. I wore it out! No white hairs ever, no dry spots, no rubs, it was fantastic. Andi still has one of those saddles, it's English and I gave up that riding style a few years back. My old injured back likes the support of the western styled saddles. Lately I have noticed another new trend where the stirrups or way out in front of the rider so you sit like you are in your Lazy Boy recliner. Now how is that going to help me stay balanced and on board when they spook and buck?

Yes I am asking for a lot, but it's my hard earned dollar, my fanny and my horse's backs.

So with all my criteria in hand I started exploring, and after a few months settled on the flex panel and flex tree saddles.

Oh yes that's another thing, the flex tree saddles come in a 16" seat or bigger. OK I have gained a few pounds over the years but a 16" seat is way too big. So that left me with the flex panel. I tried one in a 15" very padded tush-friendly model and - oh my - that 15" seat was a 14 so it didn't work. But the saddle worked well on the horses, adjusting itself to all three different width horses. They have a great air channel and no pressure or dry spots. Hmmm. Maybe I was on the right track.

This led me to my present saddle, a 15" Timberline that seems to fit all three of the horses. No rubs, no dry spots and the horses have a good attitude. It fits me also but the seat "could" have a narrower twist for a bit more comfort, so it's not perfect but it will do. The dropped rigging is adjustable so I can position it where it won't rub. This saddle fits "most" of my criteria. It's an improvement, but it still isn't perfect - mostly due to the wider seat.

Now I have to ask anyone out there - do you think you make or sell the perfect saddle? Yes? Then let me try it, if you dare. I am the Princess and the Pea when it comes to saddles. :-)

THE MANY FACES OF SUNRIVER

Photo by Tami Rougeau

I have been lucky enough this year to be able to venture to Central Oregon for two rides. This has given me the opportunity to visit with old friends that I haven't seen for a long long time! What a treat! But all day as I traveled the 100 miles of SunRiver, people kept asking, "Karen, how many times have you ridden SunRiver?" A lot! That was my only answer but once home I did the research.

One year that I didn't have to look up was 1977, my first SunRiver. It was also my very first 100 mile ride on my big horse, Sunny Spots. Nancy Cox and I rode together, it was also her first 100 on Rakar. I broke a stirrup and rode into camp at the 50 mile point, packing my stirrup in my right hand. Not to be deterred I borrowed a saddle for the next 50 miles. This first year the ride camp was in a meadow on the banks of the Deschutes River near the town of SunRiver. It was beautiful!! The 50 mile loop was uphill for the first half and down for the last half. 10 started and 5 finished. We were out until pretty late, leading our hroses down a hill in the dark, and we saw headlights. This startled us a bit and we were trying to figure out who it could be. Turned out to be ride management out looking for us. Gene Petersen took one look at us leading our horses and said, "Time to ride girls!" He picked me up and put me on my horse and then followed us in the pickup - hey now we had lights. We were tired and sore but the horses were fine.

And that my friends was the first of many more 100 mile rides. I rode Sunny on five different Sun River 100's. One of those just a couple months after Andi was born. I rode the 100 four times on Moka's Pat-A-Dott.

One year I borrowed a horse, Reno, from Jennifer Horsman, so I could ride the 100. Zap did the 100 at SunRiver/Chuckwagon twice. Yet another year I took a new horse, Jafar, on his first 50 there. It is always a great first ride of some sort.

This year it was Thunder's second 100, only three weeks after River Run. A bit closer in timing than I like but I was able to go at that time and reasoned were weren't going fast so we would be fine. It stormed and rumbled and poured and flashed Friday as we stood huddled under a small shelter for our ride meeting and dinner. We all hoped this wasn't a preview of Saturday.

I met Tami Rougeau from Nevada, a fellow Easyboot Glove user, and we talked and decided to ride together.

We left a few minutes late and they never saw the other horses leave camp. May & Thunder walked calmly out of camp and were well behaved all day! It was wonderful. It was a cool 42 degrees! We'd had 85 at home just a few days earlier and these temperature extremes are hard on the horses and riders. I layered clothes and used a rump rug on Thunder for the first time. During the day we encountered some rain, sleet, sun and fog. It felt more like April than mid-June. But the trail had no dust and it really was good weather as long as we kept moving. We'd get chilled waiting in the vet checks. The biggest thing was the horses were starving. They tried to graze on the mountain nibbles of grass but it was sparse at best. Thunder never stopped eating in the vet checks, they just needed more time to eat. We picked up another new friend, Nancy Cardosa, around 55 miles and the three horses traveled well together. Thunder and his two mares, May and Elektrika, were all troopers and we just kept plugging away to the finish. Our CRI's were great at 40/40 and Dr Bensen said Thunder looked great at the finish. So we placed 11, 12 & 13 out of 17 starters. Not that it really matters to me. I just wanted to finish on a healthy horse!

So back to the original question of how many times did I ride it? A total of 14 times, 12 of those rides were on the 100 miler. I rode it when the ride moved camp out by the Rainbow Bridge, then up to Kiowa Springs when it was also renamed ChuckWagon Express. Then later camp moved to it's present site at Wanoga Sno Park and was eventually renamed SunRiver Classic. And a classic ride is what it remains today. Thanks to all who work so hard to keep this great ride going. The management is as classy as the ride!!!

Old horse, young horse, green horse, kinda stupid horse

This is my answer when someone asks me "Where have you been?" Or "Wow haven't seen you at a ride for a long time!"

At one point this endurance junkie had safely placed endurance riding on the back burner of life and was surviving nicely. When I saw an old friend and they'd ask "Have you been riding much?" I had all the excuses and reasons. Horse is too old. Not enough $$$. I got a young horse that isn't broke yet. Oh I can't take that beast out in public yet!

But then the young horses got older and the training began. And it went on and on. Now green horses are supposed to get better with time and training. But you can train and do tricks and games in a ring all you want, but nothing "makes" a horse like riding it. I was once asked "So what makes a good horse?" I told them wet saddle blankets, LOTS of wet saddle blankets. Now I'm not sure if this person was one fry short of a Happy Meal but the queation was asked "Where do you buy those?" OK so I know that you aren't supposed to laugh at people. So after biting my tongue and being in pain I had to explain that you earned these wet saddle blankets by getting out and actually riding the horse. The hotter the weather the more the horse sweats, the wetter the saddle blanket and the faster you get results.

Now I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer. But I have tried this training thing both ways. Back in the day we would just get on and ride. If they had a turn and a whoa we headed for the hills and they got their first wet saddle blanket. I was also younger and tougher back then. Or you ride in an arena for awhile, graduate to trails so they "learn", and hope they remember when they get out in public. Mine are kinda stupid so in public they have to act totally unbroke and entertain everyone. It has been my experience that we got way better results doing it the the old ride 'em cowboy way, and our horses didn't take forever to be a decent ride. A good Arab needs to get a bit tired for any memory retention to take place I think.

So with that in mind, it was time to take the young, green and sometimes stupid horse to an endurance ride. And then another ride and another ride.....because maybe mine are a bit slow learning how this works. Or smarter than their rider. Or definitely tougher than what I bargained for. Yup that's it! They just get fitter and tougher and better. There is a fine line between stupid and tough, you ride enough and you'll figure out where to draw that line. My friends and I would ride for hours, days and miles and miles. After 1000 miles and five years of wet saddle blankets - Thunder is starting to figure it out. And those 100's pack bonus points into those wet saddle blankets so you get faster results. My goodness, the red horse does have manners!

Looking back, Zap wasn't really "good" till he had at least 3000 miles and was about 13 years old. Blue only has a little over 300 AERC miles, with some good unmeasured trail miles in a couple years time. He will see more action during the summer.
Hmmm, so I have a loooong way to go yet!

So here I am, riding two horses as often and regularly as I can fit it in around work. Getting those hard earned wet saddle blankets. The wetter the better. The farther they go wearing that wet blanket the better they become. Man this is work. And now - here I am - back riding 100's after all these years. And still finding it fun. Yeah I may be kinda stupid too. Well matched to these ponies. YEEHAW! Go ride!