Hallelujah! 5000

What better place to finish up Thunder's 5000 AERC miles than at Outback Hallelujah Trail multi-day! Gorgeous trails, wonderful footing and big loop rides with very little repeat. Extremely refreshing! And then to be able to top it off with our special accomplishment of 5000 miles among good friends, well it just doesn't get much better.

photo by Sierra Westlake

The first day started out cool with frost on the ground and ice on the water buckets. Thunder was full of himself and acting like a stupid kid, a few people thought I must be riding a new horse and it couldn't possibly be the one with all the miles. We circled, we zigzagged, I tried all sorts of stuff and then finally did what usually works. Got off and led him until he settled his silly bad self down! Then I got back on and we trotted on down the trail. He still had attitude but not as much! We only had a few miles left and he saw two horses ahead and just had to pass them. I tried to convince him to eat grass and just chill but no way. So with about 2 miles left I told the gals ahead that we were coming around. Thunder cantered by and kept on going to finish 8th. 

photo by Sierra Westlake

The second day we rode with my friend Trish Frahm. Thunder loves her mare Sahra and waits for her. So we had a much calmer ride as Sahra set the pace to suit herself. Different people kept asking me "How many miles do you have on Thunder now?" I knew if we finished that day we'd have 5000 but I didn't want to say anything for fear I'd jinx us. So I'd mumble something and wander off. HA! But when we were vetted through by Cassee Terry DVM at the finish I said, "Yeah he got his 5000 today!" With an 8th place finish.

And just because we could, we rode the third day also. Lots of gates on this day but some nice trails. The vet check was in a shady Pine grove and Thunder chowed down happily. We placed 6th all by ourselves and had a great day! 

From the time Thunder was born he knew he was important. He said "Look out world, here I come." I owned his sire then, Z Mufaurwa, who now stands at VanGilder Arabians. His dam, Rushcreek Hollie, was my pick for the mother of my next endurance champion. I picked the oldest bloodlines as close as I could find them. Hollie had over 25 lines to the great war mare *Wadduda 30, imported by Davenport. Like any good horse it seems we had setbacks. Surgery on a leg that was developing crooked and later required special shoeing. A setback in training as we had a wreck in the Owyhees and he ran free for 6 days before being found pretty much unharmed. We persevered and with the help of great friends and the good Lord, Thunder and I made it to goals I thought we never would. 

I can truly say "Hallelujah we made it!" 

New AERC Decade Team

The Owyhee River Challenge endurance ride marked Thunder's and my tenth year of completing AERC rides. Thunder is my second AERC decade horse. Zapped+/ was my first.

Back when Karen Chaton interviewed us about Zap and our Decade award, a question asked was "In choosing my next horse what would I look for?" I replied that I already had him. Thunder was two yrs old then, I'd owned his mother, Rushcreek Hollie, and his sire, Z Mufaurwa.  He was born with that attitude that you knew would make him a good tough horse.

This is the view I've mostly enjoyed for thousands of miles and many many trails. Our journey hasn't always been fun and games. I have spent many a moment cussing him! Yet he is the endurance horse I bred him to be. We completed our first AERC ride in 2007 at Weiser Rail Trail. Then we had a huge train wreck in the Owyhees that fall. The short version is he spent 6 days in the Owyhees and was found by my friends while I spent 3 days in the hospital. But, again with the support of friends, we made it back and Thunder is now on the edge of his 5000 AERC miles.

Thunder and I with Jessica Cobbley riding The Big Brass and Sarah Jackson on Street Cop. Photo by David Honan

After that rough "come back" year, Thunder and I just kept going, we had issues to work through but I never quit! I think my favorite ride on him was Owyhee Canyonlands 5 day where he won the 5 day and got overall Best Condition. I remember just sitting out there with him in the moonlight and enjoying his presence, and being grateful for the team we'd become. Nothing like a good strong horse to put you in awe of their amazing power!

Jessica and I strolled into the finish of Owyhee River Challenge 55 miles. Photo by David Honan

Thunder has spent many a mile trying to make my battered old body into a faster rider. I've spent many a mile trying to slow his red head down so my body could manage to ride the miles. Somewhere in there we reached a compromise! Congratulations Thunder! And here is to maybe another Decade! Although we'll both be pretty long in the tooth by then!

Ghost Riders at Still Memorial

Last week I just had to get out of Dodge! I was going to burst if I stayed home. So Friday at 9:30 AM I was tossing stuff in the trailer, loaded the Blue and off we went for Prineville. My dear friends Cole & Charlotte Still, along with Alice Warner, and the Prineville Ridge Riders had put this ride on for over 40 years. We used to help every year in the old days when that area was "home". However they are gone now to better trails but I could hear their voices calling me.

Cole and Alice built many trails and added to the trail system each year as time went on. And I'm sure Cole rode the ride for 32 consecutive years and as I rode this year I recalled many of my old endurance friends. I know some of them were riding with me. My trail angels. 

The views of the Cascades are gorgeous as you climb Grey Butte. I remember one year Speedy's saddle slipped and I got off to fix it. The bugger wouldn't let me back on and Jo Calver came along and saved me and helped me back on the big guy!! Not sure how many times I've ridden the ride, I know my first year there was 1978.

The trail off "Still Hill" drops down to those alfalfa fields you see in the distance.

I like how the USFS has put up signs for the Cole Loop. Sadly vandals had torn some of the signs down. At one time Cole had put up horse shoe markers along the way. The route is mostly single track trail. 

The Buck Brush or Bitter Brush was in full bloom and gave off an amazing aroma as we trotted on through towards the big pasture and Weigand well. Blue and I had a great ride and an awesome day. He finished with all A's on his vet card. I'm happy I was able to visit the homeland for a day and remember the good times with friends of the past and present. 

Second Ever Endurance 101 Clinic

We had a great group of people for the 2nd ever Endurance 101 Clinic near Adrian, OR.. There are few things in this world more gratifying than making new friends, sharing knowledge, spending time with old friends, riding horses and eating calorific food! How can you beat that?!

We had sun, wind, bugs but we managed to do our "classroom" stuff where we chatted about what endurance rides are, clubs and organizations, feeding, conditioning, pacing, managing your horse and a whole lot more. Then I shared my contents of a crew bag that would be handy at the vet check. Then we hid from the wind and had lunch. I shared easyboot information with Amy Heward. Shoulda got a pic of that! Oh darn we should have gotten a pic of a lot of things but we were just busy.

After lunch everyone learned how to take their horse's pulse and listen for gut sounds. The wind made that a challenge as we were suddenly deaf and found it hard to hear what we were looking for! We then had a mock vet check with Virginia Ware and myself impersonating vets and examining horses, telling riders what we were looking for and why. Each person had a rider vet card to work with. They trotted their horses out just like a real check. Giving them more to know when it comes down to the real thing.

Afterwards it was saddle up time. I had a 13 mile loop without any gates, and a shortcut to make it 8 miles. Everyone had a great ride. One participant said she had a nice trail ride but had learnt that endurance riding was not for her. She still had a great time!

Virginia Ware got a nice shot of part of the group as they headed out to ride. Samantha Alley, Joy Haines, her friend Sabine Saley who was visiting from Austria, Tammy Gray and MaryAnn Yamamoto heading out of camp.

Debbie Grose riding Jack out through some sagebrush. We couldn't do the "creek" loop because the water was too high. 

After riding we did the next best thing, we potlucked and ate some really great food! What a spread. Several people stayed and camped and we rode the next morning too. Virginia and Bob had so much fun they stayed an extra day. Thank you all for coming. I hope you go through the DVD's and soak up all the info on them. See you on the trail!! 

Spring is On The Way!!

It's been warm the last couple weeks, grass is growing, birds are singing, and yep, I AM riding!

Rode up the sand washes

Took what we call Hallelujah Trail to the rock

Brass in the cave of Hallelujah rock

Some deer in the sand wash

Does and last years fawns

Another day with Blue

We were serenaded by this colorful Meadowlark. It just doesn't get much better than enjoying the wonderful creations and the world God gave us! 

Tis The Season

I hope everyone had a very MERRY CHRISTMAS! I have neglected the blog - again. It's been over two months since I wrote here, and now it is closing in on the end of 2015 and the coming new year!

It's a frosty 14 degree Idaho morning, making it a good day to catch up and reflect on Christmases past, family and friends, the horses I rode in remote beautiful lands, the year that flew by, sorrows and joys, and the new year to come. Some day I may even figure out how to escape to a warmer place for the winter, where perhaps I could string Christmas lights over a big cactus!

Until then, I'll continue with an old New Year's resolution of ride more and eat less. I've been pretty successful with that idea. I think I'll just try to keep that going. Perhaps toss in a new place to visit where I have never been before. I have a long list of places I'd like to ride but the problem is always the same limiting factor, time and money. HA! But if I only visit one new patch of God's green Earth a year, that's a pretty good adventure!

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!! Enjoy!

Brass Goes Bronze

This past weekend at the Owyhee Canyonlands Endurance Rides, The Big Brass earned his ApHC, Bronze Medallion!! To achieve this he had to complete 350 AERC miles of 50 mile or longer rides in a year. The first day of the 3 days of Canyonlands found Brass and Beth Nicholes trotting down the trail. At days end they had 360 miles to date. :) 

Steve Bradley took this of the 3 of us at Canyonlands; Thunder and I, Blue and Colleen Martin, Brass and Beth Nicholes

Now getting an ApHC (Appaloosa Horse Club) Medallion isn't the hardest thing in the world to do, but consider a little over 2 years ago that Brass was a rescue horse. A horse I acquired when someone said "If you can catch him you can have him." You can read Brass' story here. 

Brass and I out trail riding. Photo by Trish Frahm

Since our beginnings in the round pen he has developed into a personable trail horse who really likes to go places. And he has also become the camp clown playing in his water tub and looking for cuddles.

Photo by Laura Spear, Beth and Brass on Oregon 50 miler.

I teamed him up with Beth when she wanted to do well her last Junior year. With one ride yet to go they are setting in the Top 3 of PNER and AERC points and miles for Junior riders. Pretty proud of the two of them. In addition to that she also rode him in the first NW Appaloosa Endurance Championship where Brass was the second place Appaloosa!  

Meet "Rio"

Shortly before I was to leave for the Chief Joseph Trail Ride, I got a call from Gene Winchester, an Appaloosa breeder in Homedale, ID.
Gene says, "Karen I have a gelding that you need to come look at."
"But I don't need anymore horses Gene."
"Well you really should come look at this one." Gene says.
So of course, me being "me", I just had to go see what was so special about this one. Curiosity killed the cat as they say. I tried to resist but it's futile, I contacted his son Elgin and made arrangements to go look.

I got there and didn't see Elgin so I just showed my self around. I've been there enough times I know several of the horses. But there was this one horse that just gazed at me. He watched my every move. I went to see him, scratched him and saw that he had shoes on. "Oh you must be someone's special boy." I told him. And then I went to look for the mystery horse, taking pictures of different geldings. But every where I went those eyes were staring at me. He was just giving me that lost puppy dog look! "Take me home!"

Just about the time I was getting ready to leave Elgin shows up. I asked him who the big gelding was that wouldn't stop staring at me. "Oh that's the one Dad wanted you to look at."

"And what makes him so special?" I asked.

"He's old Lever Action breeding, Dad said you liked old LA."

OMGosh! Not only did I like old LA, I loved that big black & white horse! I had his last daughter, my beloved Diamond, and lost her. I cherish my Peanut because he is an LA grandson. So I tell myself not to get too excited and try to calmly ask, "So is he a son or grandson or what?"

Elgin says, "His mother was a Lever Action daughter, a really nice black & white mare. This guy is really gentle and has some training." We talked a bit more and I left with Elgin asking  "When are you going to come get him?"

In the meantime I learned that his name is Owyhee Justice. His mother was my Diamond's older full sister! I find it interesting that out of all those colorful horses, I had spotted her nephew. And he had made sure that I would keep coming to see him by giving me that intense stare. 

I went back to check him out closer after I returned from CJTR, where I'd spent a week of watching over 125 Appaloosas and riders retracing the historic Chief Joseph route. My friend, Trish Frahm, went out to the farm with me. Her reaction was "He's huge! But he's so cute. Should we get my trailer, it's closer." Ah, what are friends for anyway!

The next day I took the trailer, picked up Trish, and off we went to get my new boy. He almost put the halter on himself, he was definitely ready to go home. It only took us a few minutes to load him up and off we went.

Trish went with us for our first ride on the hill too! And he loves her black mare Sahra.

 

Since the first ride I have nicknamed him Rio.  He has a lot to learn on trails but is smart and fun to ride. I just have to find a high spot to make it easier to climb up on the almost 16 hand horse. So Rio is learning to be "short broke" as I call it. They have to get where you can lead them up to stuff so you can get on! HAHA!

I'd had Rio for a couple weeks when we went for an evening ride and it was when the Soda Fire was burning. We were treated to a gorgeous sunset early in the evening. 

As we headed home and down the hill we could see the fire burning 20 miles away.

People ask me how I like my new horse. My answer? I think I'll keep him for awhile! ♥

My Chief Joe Experience

I have always wanted to ride the Chief Joseph Trail Ride. This is a special ride retracing the route of Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce people after defying orders to move to the reservation in 1877. Sadly, we all know that it didn't end well. After the Nez Perce people faced the hardships of miles, starvation, illness, battles and death, it all ended at Bear Paw when Chief Joseph surrendered.The atrocities of what the U.S. government did to the Indians in those days should not be forgotten. Especially in todays political world where so much is rapidly changing. The heart of the Nez Perce and all American Native tribes are strong and amazing. They have endured a great deal and are tough beyond words. 


There are different ways to experience the historic route of 1300+ miles. There is an auto route, a back roads route, or you can hop on an Appaloosa horse and participate through the Appaloosa Horse Club as they complete a segment of trail each year. The ride was launched in 1965 by the late George Hatley who has done so much for the Appaloosa for many years! These riders love the horse, the history and they return year after year! Jim and Anne Mischel have never missed an event! Unfortunately Jim was taken into the hospital at Billings and then went home. Anne has ridden it 47 times and now comes to just enjoy it and her extended Chief Joe family!


I got back into Appaloosas a couple years ago and placed the CJTR on my wish list. After adding up the $$ and deciding I just couldn't do it, I offered my services as a driver. Since this is a point to point ride people need drivers. I thought this would be a great way to go and it was! Thank you Dennis Schultz for letting me drive your rig daily and also for the privilege of rubbing on your wonderful mare.

 

A part of the CJTR is the traditional picket line. This line is moved everyday, like every other part of this ride gets moved daily. Often trailers are parked tightly depending upon the size of the camp spot for the night. Plus those riders who are dependent upon the club to move their tent and supplies daily really need the picket line. I am sure right now all my endurance friends are cringing at the thought of their horse on a picket line.

 

Seymour Young Dog, a member of the Lakota Tribe, gave the Blessing for the 5 - day ride.

 

Each morning began with Seymour playing Indian music or Doc Rustebakke and his  ♫"Time to get up in the morning"♫ song. LOL Breakfast was served at 6 AM, you went through the lunch line and put together your day's lunch, then saddled up and got ready to move out at 8 AM.

 

After the riders ride out, behind them are the Doc, the Vet and the farrier, plus the pack mule with daily emergency supplies. Oh and did I mention the trail is NOT marked? All the people in neon vests are Scouts and Wranglers who keep everything on course and under control. Emergencies are handled on the spot, one rider was whisked off to Billings but he improved and returned the next day.

 

Then camp is broken down, packed up and on the road. The caravan stretched for miles over dusty roads through the plains and mountains, past old homesteads and ranches.

 

Then it all gets put back together in the new camp site. Andy and Ervin park everyone so all the rigs fit into camp. The kitchen crews go to work on sandwiches for tomorrows lunches, then they begin working on what's for dinner! And every night it was something fantastic! Wednesday is steak night!

 

At days end riders return to camp, sore and tired but smiling!

After which it was dinner, dancing and live music! We sure had it much easier than the Nez Perce did in 1877!!

 

The next day it all begins again. Another breakfast. Another ride. More fun. For 5 days! And this year it was 101.5 miles. It doesn't take long to realize that this isn't just a ride. It truly is an experience!

 

Homesteads of all sizes, types and shapes dotted the country. This may have been a school house?

 

The big sky blessed us with spectacular sunsets!

 

The Nez Perce signing the Lord's Prayer, it was raining and it rained a lot.

 

Rain gear became a necessity.

 

Another homestead on Ford Creek

 

 

The route spent many miles in the Judith Basin and the Judith Mountains. Local historians came in for dinner and told us tales of the history of the region, including Fort Maginnis, Mainden, Half Moon Pass and many other historic sites.

I wonder if this is what an ambush looked like?

 

Some traditional western gear.

 

 

I saw lots of antelope and this one was a beauty!

 

The horses are what make it all magical!

 

 

This years route went from Ryegate to Roy, MT. Next year it continues up to the Bear Paw Battlefield. Volumes have been written on the Chief Joseph history and my blog just barely touches it. In 2016, the CJTR will have covered the route three times! And at the end of that ride their horses will set foot onto an old historic battle field filled with ghosts of history! I get chills just thinking about it. If I get there it will be an honor to photograph riders in whatever traditional regalia they choose for this one-of-a-kind historic event!