Competitive Trail Ride

 

 

I mentioned in yesterday’s post that I have signed up for the Ne-Kota Turkey Trot competitive trail ride (CTR) at Turkey Creek Ranch next month.  Although I planned to do the Indian Cave CTR in October, I had penciled in the other one pending Case’s sports events.  When it appears to have opened up, I mentioned to John that it would be fun to do together, so that is the plan right now.  In 2004, I competed on John’s late, great Ginger but John himself has never tried it.  Fancy is a little more level minded so I think he would have a great first CTR experience.

 

Missouri River View at Indian Cave

You may or may not recall that I did enter the Indian Cave CTR last October and we didn’t do so well.   We were in a drought all last summer but the heavens opened up that weekend and the rain made the trails at Indian Cave a muddy, slippery mess.  Windy was high as a kite and didn’t vet out very well at the first vet check, so I pulled after a measly five or so miles.  We had done so well at this CTR a couple years earlier so I was disappointed.  This year is the 40th anniversary of the Indian Cave CTR and I am ready to go again.

 

Turkey Creek Trails

My friend, Shari, is the ride manager for the Ne-Kota Turkey Trot.  She and other members of the Nebraska Endurance and Competitive Trails Assoc. (NECTRA) have been working all summer mapping trails and planning for this event.  Not unlike Indian Cave, there are some wonderful trails, big climbs and awesome views at Turkey Creek.   Sarah is the ride manager for Indian Cave and many from the same group have been prepping for that ride, too. 

 

If you have ever been interested in trying competitive trail riding, now is the time.  We are very lucky to have two rides so close to the cities and NECTRA is a great group to introduce you to the sport.  Remember, a CTR is not a race.  It is a timed event.  You follow a map, get an opportunity to show off your horsemanship skills and have your horse vet checked numerous times though out the weekend.  For novice entries, you will ride about 20 miles the first day and less the second.  Any breed of horse can do this type of ride.  If you are a regular trail rider, you horse should be ready to handle this type of ride.  You need no special equipment except your own trail saddle. 

 

Give the Ne-Kota Turkey Trot a try and if you like it, perhaps we’ll see you at Indian Cave, too.  I am looking forward to amping it up a bit and enjoying the ride at these beautiful locations. 

 

These rides are sanctioned by the North American Trail Ride Conference (NATRC).  For information and rules, see www.natrc.org. 

 

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30 Rides in 30 Days?

 

 

To make up for my lack of riding this summer, I am going to try to ride every day in September.  Considering I have ride plans for about half of those days, I only need to concentrate on the other half, right?  We shall see.  I do know that I need to get back in the saddle a little more often.  This last week it has been about 99 degrees every day.  The only thing that is good for is sitting in the air conditioning.  The horses are sweating doing nothing!

 

 

Speaking of ride plans, next month is our annual Cowgirl Weekend which now has become Cowgirl Week.  A whole week on the road with my besties and Windy. 

 

 

And this year, Pip will get to go.  And a friend will be riding Fancy.  Planning for Cowgirl Week is just about as much fun as the actual trip.  Almost, but not quite. 

 

 

Nahla, above, doesn’t get to go but that was such a cute picture of her that I just wanted to share it.

 

 

Bo doesn’t get to go either. 

 

 

Then, if that isn’t enough, I talked John into doing a Competitive Trail Ride (CTR) with me.  Well, let’s just say he didn’t say “no” and I may or may not have sent in a registration for him.  I think it will be fun for us to do it together. 

 

And somewhere after that, I am squeezing in The Eagles concert before the next CTR.  And then I just heard today that Elton John is coming to town in November.  Talk about taking me back in time! 

 

But back to the CTR.  There is one in Missouri the end of October.  I would really like to go to that one.  Not sure I can swing it, but there.  I said it out loud.  So we will see. 

 

First up.  Thirty rides in 30 days.  Any bets? 

 

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Hello! Is There Anybody Out There?

Life keeps on slipping (slipping, slipping) into the future.  I finally know what that means.  Simply put, there is not enough time in the day - we are always moving on.  I can't believe this is just my second blog post in August.  You have all probably wondered on to a more happening place.

 

 

Things are happening here.  I did a triathlon!  Okay, probably not your definition of one, but that is what we called it.  I may or may not have mentioned that I have been walking a lot this summer.  A few times I would jog a bit.  When I found out there was going to be a 5K run from a local lake, I thought perhaps I could walk it.  I asked my fitness group if anyone was interested in joining me and oh, sure - I get the runners to step up!  But that was cool; they could run and I could walk.  I wouldn't be far behind.

 

 

 

 

But you know?  I got caught up in the run.  And I ran!  I talked myself through the first 1/2 mile.  Then before I knew it, I was at a mile.  Well, heck.  If I ran that far, maybe I could run halfway!  Well, guess what?  I ran the entire way!  I finished 11 out of 24 in my age group.  Who'd of thunk? 

 

 

 

After the run, we went and loaded up the horses and came back to this same place and rode to the ghost town of Rescue.  Joni brought her horse.  I loaded up Fancy, Butter and Windy.  I started out on Butter and she was so darn good that I traded with Corie, who was riding Windy, coming back.  Windy was having one of her days.   (Isn't Butter pretty?)  This was the second leg of our triathlon. 

 

 

 

After we rode about 8 miles, Sarah and Corie went home.  Joni and I loaded up our horses and headed to Branched Oak to meet some friends for an impromptu camp trip.  We rode again that evening and then in the morning.  See what I mean about time slipping into the future?  The weekend was over before it ever started, it seemed. 

 

 

School has now started.  The first week was pretty chaotic as Case changed schools.  I'm hoping now we have settled a bit and things will slow a bit.  I have lots of ride plans in the next couple of months and surprisingly, would like to keep this walk/run thing going.  Hopefully I can get back to writing more regularly again.  And I have some awesome pictures I want to share but will save it for another time. 

 

 

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Visit my website at www.horsetrailriders.com

Absent in August

I can't believe I haven't posted anything in August.  I've been around and could have; spending way too much time on Facebook most likely and not doing anything productive or necessarily horse related.  Oh, a few rides here and there but nothing really exciting.  Isn't that life, though?

Last Thursday was our county's fair parade.  I usually try to ride in it only missing a year or so in the last few.  John was able to go this time, too and it would be Fancy's first time.  We loaded up and met some of the other Platte River Riders.  The horses are always the last entry in the parade and by the time we reached downtown, a storm was moving in quickly and a policeman stopped us and said the parade was over and head to the trailers; there were 70 mph winds expected.  

The horses dispersed and John and I trotted back down the brick street the 5 or 6 blocks to the trailer.  We quickly unsaddled and had just loaded the mares when the big drops of rain started to come down.  It was quite a storm and glad we weren't in the middle of the parade when it hit!  

This past weekend, my brother and niece came out intent on riding.  When he stayed with us years ago, they both enjoyed the horses and I was glad they were interested in riding now.  Jayden has always been fond of Windy, so that was her mount for the morning.  It is always fun to watch someone else ride my horse; it happens so infrequently.  Windy was a good girl for her.  

My brother rode Blue.  He hadn't been out for awhile, so it was good that he got a little saddle time, too.  He needs to earn his hay!  (Blue, not my brother.)  

We've had the boat out a couple of times the last few weekends.  I even tried to ski once.  I got up every time but couldn't sustain it when there would be slack in the rope.  If there weren't 4 grown men in the boat, it might have worked better for me.  I'm anxious to try again next time.   (Son, Case, pictured above).

Lots of things coming up;  my first 5K on Saturday (which I will probably walk more than run), Renee's Ride next weekend and the NHTC Trail Challenge in early September.  Then of course, Cowgirl Weekend (and week) with my friends.  I've finally found some relief from the hot flashes and feel almost normal again, so hoping to finish off the summer with a lot more time in the saddle.