We Finished!

I awoke again without the alarm. As I climbed out of the bunk, Windy nickered. With this new trailer, she ties real close to the door to the living quarters and knows when I'm moving around. I tossed her some hay and started my coffee. Trot out was at 7:00 AM. Shari and I wanted to have a little time prior to that to warm our horses up. It was still dark as we rode away from our trailers.

I was pleased to find I still had a lot of horse under me. Windy was moving quickly and without effort down the trail. Before long we came to the first obstacle. There was a line, so we assumed this one would be a bit more difficult. She snacked as we waiting our turn.

Once in front of the judges, we were asked to back our horse between two trees and once there, sidepass to the left to exit. How many times have we practiced backing through trees? Believe it or not, lots. It is one of those CTR obstacles you hear about, so it is one of those things we try for fun when pleasure riding.

I lined Windy up in front of the trees. Before I could cue her, she reached above us and took a mouthful of leaves from the tree. I decided to show patience to the horsemanship judge. I let her tear the leaves off the branch and begin to chew and then cued her for a back. She jerked her head out of my hands and reached up for a second bite. She was getting pissy! There was some name calling going on in my mind, but rather than voice my dissatisfaction, I moved her out from under that branch, repositioned her and asked again. She went a little light in the front before her hind-end kicked in and she backed. I cued her to sidepass and she must have done that okay because my scorecard had a "good" following the sidepass, but we lost a point for the back. (Big sigh.)

Shortly after the "thigh master" hill, we had to stop for a pulse and respiration check (P & R). Once dismounted, volunteers come to your horse and record their vitals. You then wait ten minutes and the horse is rechecked. It is that recheck number that you want to be in the acceptable range. Only once throughout the weekend was I concerned and it worked out okay. This time we had just climbed the highest bluff in the park and I hoped she would recover easily from it and was thrilled when she did.

We continued on to the horsemanship judge. He asked me if I had a knife in my saddle bag and if I did, to cut his twine. I did. He then asked if I had a hoof pick on me. Yesterday I did. Today I did not. I have twenty two hoof picks in the trailer and not a one on my horse. He didn't ask to see it, but I cannot tell a lie… I lost a point there.

As we closed in on the fifth hour, we rode into camp and across the finish line. We went through the same routine as the day before; grooming and presenting our horses to the judge. Windy checked out once more all zeros and a three. I was ecstatic over having such a wonderful two days on my good mare and having her come in fit and sound made it even better. We took care of each other.

The score cards would be handed out after the awards ceremony and I was anxious to see it. I had one honeycrisp apple left and told Shari if I get a higher score than my horse, I get the apple and if Windy's score is higher, the apple is hers. In our three previous rides, Windy has scored higher than I did, so I figured if I didn't come in at 6^th place, I didn't place. I was shocked when they announced that I had placed 4^th. Now fourth may not be a big deal to all of you, but it is as good as being the winner in my book. I never did sports in school except the required tests. To think that I rode my horse for 11 hours and did it well enough to place, was over the top for me. If I never place again, I'll die happy with my fourth place honor. My friend, Shari, took 2nd place in her class.

After the horsemanship awards, they started through the classes once again to announce the horse placings. When Windy hadn't placed in 6^th, 5^th or even 4^th, like me, I figured her temper tantrum when trying to eat leaves during the obstacle had taken her out of the game. I would get the apple. When they announced the 2nd place horse was Windy, I about died. As a parent, we want for our kids so much – it's a given that we want for them more than ourselves. And the feeling I had for my horse at that point was not unlike that I have with my children; such pride. She did it. No, she didn't win. But she got SECOND PLACE! You'd think she had won the Kentucky Derby. I couldn't have been happier. The honeycrisp apple was hers.

The First Day Out

I was awake before the alarm went off and could hear the campground was coming to life. While taboo when camping while pleasure riding, generators started buzzing to provide lighting, coffee and other necessary comforts. My trailer is pretty self-contained and most everything I need runs off battery or propane. With that said, I started my propane burner to brew some coffee and threw Windy a few flakes of hay while I started to get dressed.

While at Cowgirl Weekend we had heaters going, this weekend was very mild. I had slept with the windows cracked in the trailer and put on regular breeches rather than fleece. I dressed in layers, slipping on a tank top, a long sleeved shirt and a sweat shirt to keep the morning chill away. I pulled out snacks for my saddle bag: a Special K bar and a couple Oven Ham Sammies I made special for the occasion as they pack very well in my pommel bag.

After saddling Windy and meeting up with Shari, we rode over to where the riders were being timed out. Diane, another Horsetales friend, met us on her Rocky Mountain mare and would ride out with us. Before long, our numbers were called and off we went with Diane in the lead. Windy felt great, albeit pushing it a little more than I would have liked, trying to close the gap between Diane and me. It was obvious the gaited horse was moving faster than my quarter horse and Diane disappeared down the trail. A couple other riders on gaited horses passed us, and before long, it was just Shari and I, followed by the safety riders.

We did a lot of trotting early that morning and were still struggling to beat the clock. And before long, we found ourselves at the first judged obstacle. It was simple, really. Ride your horse up the hill to the judge. Stop your horse and count to five and continue on down the trail. I rode up and whoa'd Windy. I counted. One, two, three, four…. And she tossed her head. Dang! So much for standing quietly. See? These easy obstacles aren't that easy after all! We were later asked to back uphill. Windy showed some resistance, but got the job done.

Later in the morning a couple other women joined us. One woman, Mary, was a seasoned CTR rider on a first time horse while Kelli was a first time CTR rider on a first time horse. Both horses were Arabians and both tucked in quietly behind us, sticking with the pace of our horses.

About two thirds of the way into the ride, we reached an intersection in the trail. The ribbons showed the trail going off to the left, so we went left. Before we got a hundred feet, someone riding up behind us yelled to us, "You are going the wrong way!" We stopped. We looked at our map. We looked at the ribbons. It's possible the ribbons are there for tomorrow's ride. The map is confusing. But Shari said the rider who warned us is not one who makes mistakes. We changed our course and were back on the right track. That wrong trail would have taken us 1.3 miles out of our way and over the dreaded hill known as the "thigh master."

We finished the ride just under six hours, traveling over 21 miles. Once back at camp, we had an hour to get our horse ready to show again to the judge. I mixed Windy up some wetted mash to keep her hydrated, freshened her water bucket and tossed her a flake of hay. As she ate, I filled a bucket with soapy water and starting with her legs, began to clean her up. I removed the saddle and gently sponged her back and neck. I brushed out her tail and braided her mane. My trail horse was now show quality and ready to present to the judge. She checked out with 5 zeros and a 3+. Close enough to perfect for me.

At the ride meeting that night, they told us to be ready to trot out for the judge at 7:00 AM or first light. Since we were starting a little earlier, I returned to the trailer to prepare for the next day. I packed the snacks into my pommel bag and put full water bottles on my saddle. I laid out the clothes I was going to wear the following day. Windy would occasionally stop eating and look up to see what I was doing, most likely to see if I would share any snacks. I put a light weight blanket on her and shut out the lights before 10:00. I fell asleep shortly after I hit the pillow.

(To be continued)

My Ride

I left for the Indian Cave Competitive Trail Ride last Friday morning. Doing a quick inventory of what I packed, I realized too late that I had forgotten my laptop and had too many miles behind me to warrant going back. I so wanted to post each night about the ride. It's now several days later and I find myself struggling to start this post. It's so much easier when it is fresh in my mind.

There were about forty riders competing. Since they place the first 6 in each class, I was hoping there would be at least 7 in my class. I like to have something to work for and not just a "gimme." There ended up being around 9 or 10 in my class; I'm not 100% as it kept changing right up until ride time.

Shari and I had a brief ride on Friday afternoon. The weather was spectacular and the fall colors inviting. We only climbed a few of the many hills along these trails, testing what kind of horse we had under us but not wanting to push them before the actual competition. Windy felt relaxed and ready; a good place to be. Back at camp, we groomed our horses to get them ready to present to the judge.

When showing to the judge at a CTR, I always have to make the difficult decision if I show with a whip or not. I can get much prettier lunging circles out of Windy when I use a carriage whip or carrot stick, but it is awkward for me to carry. I decided to pass on the whip. She stood nicely for the vet judge and when I circled her, she presented herself willingly, although her transitions from left to right were awful. Fortunately the horsemanship judge did not hold that against me. Her baseline was set at 5 zeros and a 3. The zeros represent her metabolic scores, (gut sounds, hydration, capillary refill, etc.) I was told at zeros they are where they should be. On a scale of 1 to 5, her willingness and attitude was a 3. If that number stayed the same or went up to a 4 or a 5 at the next vet presentation, that would be good. We just didn't want that number to go down.

At the ride meeting that night, we learned we would be riding 21.6 miles the first day. I believe minimum ride time was 5:25 hours with a 5:55 mid-point (don't quote me, I am running off memory here). There would be no lunch break. This concerned us for a few reasons and none had to do with our own stomachs. Mainly, it is October in Nebraska. The temps have been in the 60 – 70's and the horses now have their winter coats. The weekend temperatures were predicted to be in the mid to upper 80's, unseasonably warm. We felt the heat on our newly coated horses, in addition to the long hills on the trail, would be adding a lot of added stress to the horses and they could certainly use some down time mid ride, but in the end, it didn't matter. The horses did remarkably well, despite these conditions.

Shari and I strategized that night about our ride. We would start at the back of the pack. Trot the flats in the early morning so as the day got warmer, we wouldn't need to push them as much. Whichever horse leads out the best, would lead; we would switch as needed. The pace of our horses, Wiley and Windy, were pretty well matched. If another rider joined up with us, we would not change the pace of our ride to that horse.

The ride would begin at 7:30 AM the following morning.

(To be continued….)

Ready to Roll

The above picture was taken at the Indian Cave Competitive Trail Ride in 2004. (The child and husband are not mine, but my riding buddies for the day). It was the first CTR I entered and I didn't do another one until 2009. The horse I was riding in this picture wasn't mine either. Well, technically, she is John's. The gelding I was riding at this time in my life had a sore back from a previous trip, so I rode Ginger instead. It did not go well.

I had no intention of doing a Competitive Trail Ride this year; for no other reason than scheduling conflicts. After McCain decided not to play football this fall, I found my Friday nights had opened up. It will be another year before Case will suit up for Friday night lights, so I decided to try to make up for lost riding time. This weather has been perfect and I have been horse camping the last two weekends.

On my drive home from Cowgirl Weekend, I reflected on the ride. I didn't think we got to ride our kind of ride; if anything, the bar was lowered. I started thinking about riding the Indian Cave CTR. Windy doesn't have near the time on her this year as last year, but relative to a lot of horses, she has enough miles and is in good enough shape to handle it. I started watching the forecast because the last place I want to be is at Indian Cave if it rains or (God-forbid), snows early again this year. And just to make sure I had all my ducks in a row, I had my vet pull Coggins.

One week out and it looked like the weather was going to hold. I sent in my entry. I woke up at 5:00 AM this morning and remembered I didn't get my Coggins papers in the mail. And totally forgot about health papers. My vet lives just down the road, so I wasn't worried so much about him having time to see her as I was about the Coggins results not being here. Usually they come in a matter of a few days. I called the vet and he had received the bill for the lab, but no papers. So I followed up and had the lab scan and email me the results so the health papers could be completed. The originals arrived in the vet's mail this afternoon. Whew! I can't believe I forgot to follow up and it was this close to ride time.

I tackled my least favorite horse chore this afternoon; bathing Windy. I love to groom her, but hate the bath itself. As she dried, I sat down on a bucket next to her and started the monotonous task of scraping botfly eggs off her legs. I then sprayed her legs with Show Sheen, braided her mane & tail and put her in the round pen for the night. I put Butter in to keep her company. The round pen is full of grass; she'll stay clean for the most part. When John got home, I had him clean up her front hooves a bit. She looks show ready!

I'll head out tomorrow morning, set up camp and ride the trails a bit before checking in for the ride. The CTR begins Saturday morning. My goal is to have a good ride and to have fun. And hope my horse doesn't embarrass me or me embarrass her!

A "Grand Finale" To A Friend

On Saturday afternoon, I got a phone call from my friend and trainer, Brenda Messick. Some of you may read her blog, Horses Are Our Life. She had just completed Day 1 of the Indian Cave Competitive Trail Ride when her horse, Finny, appeared to be colicking. She called from the road and was rushing him to her vet. My heart skipped a beat and I said a silent prayer for both of them….

I’m knocking wood as I write this, as we haven’t experienced colic in our herd, but often thought about it like one does about a number of undesirable sicknesses and diseases – knowing it exists but hoping it doesn’t come knocking on our door. I know it’s not necessarily a death sentence and depending on the severity, could be treated with something as mild as hand walking and Banamine or being “oiled” by the vet. But the nightmares we hear about colic involves surgery being the only option to save the horse. I cringe at the thought.

I could argue that horses are a necessity to maintaining my mental health, but the reality is I can pull my emotions in check when faced with what could be a very large veterinary expense. Over a decade ago, I recall thinking the platinum MasterCard was going to save the life of my beloved dog, Macy, only to have to have her put down two days later. Paying that monthly installment for “the try” was a bitter reminder of thinking with my heart and not my head and of what we loved and lost. It taught me not everything we love can be saved, the vets aren’t God and that sometimes we just have to say goodbye. I was at peace with that school of thought when my young gelding, Gunner, was mortally injured in a pasture accident years later. I won’t say it didn’t suck, because it did.

Finny was Brenda’s baby – almost literally -- as his dam died of colic when he was a foal. Brenda raised the young colt to become the fine 8-year-old gelding. The black horse, standing 15.3 hh, was quite striking with his tall white socks and his off-center wide blaze. Finny was not only recognized for regularly placing the last couple years in many of NATRC’s Region 6 Competitive Trail Rides, but he also served as a lesson horse and was a favorite among Brenda’s students.

I’ve known Finny since I’ve known Brenda. While taking lessons, she would be mounted on Finny, demonstrating what Windy and I should be doing while we never mastered it as eloquently as Finny could. Windy was comfortable with Finny and he was one of the few horses she wouldn’t pin her ears at. I think she must have had a crush on him.


Brenda and I both like to ride fast. The clouds in the distance didn’t seem a threat on what looked like a beautiful summer day last year when we were trotting and loping down the Oak Creek Trail. But the further out we got, the closer the clouds came toward us and before long, we were dodging lightning bolts in the pouring rain! On Finny and Windy, we ran for cover and waited out the storm. And as soon as the storm lifted, we raced our horses back to the trailers, freezing in our wet clothes.

More recently, we met prior to a Platte River Riders ride to put in some long trotting before the rest of the group arrived. With Windy leading, we began crossing the narrow, arched bridge. About half way across, the bridge started to wobble. Windy stopped, obviously concerned. It was too narrow for her to turn around, and no matter how I prodded her, no way, no how was she going to go forward! So she started to back up. Finny was right behind us and being the good sport he was, rather than fight to move forward, he went into reverse, too. And both horses gracefully backed all the way off that bridge!


We teamed up with Brenda and Finny at the Stephen’s Forest CTR a few weeks ago. I remember how excited we were after the “trot and jump” obstacle that we both nailed! And a funny moment started out not so funny when Windy was stung by a horse fly and started to buck as the relentless bug came back for more. I told Brenda we needed to get out of here fast. “Run!” Brenda, confused by the urgency caused by a horse fly, moved off the trail so Windy and I could quickly pass. As I am galloping down the trail, I glance behind me and see Brenda and Finny now at a dead run behind us! After our sudden departure, it seemed the fly had set it sights on poor Finny!

Windy and Finny’s pace was well matched. Finny was usually in the lead with his bold extended trot and I would try to keep Windy at least a horse length behind him. But what I remember most, was the times our horses were side by side, matching hoof falls, running through the forest.


Brenda’s Finny was diagnosed with a twisted gut and the vet concurred that she was losing him. She made the heartbreaking decision to take his pain away and let him go. I still find myself tearing up as I type this. I’m so glad I had that last ride with Finny and such good memories from that fall weekend.

My heart breaks for Brenda and the loss of her partner, Blues Grand Finale. Only the good die young, it seems. God speed, Finny. I’ll miss running next to you.

The Best of Rides

It was the best of rides; it was the worst of rides….

Stephen’s Forest was beautiful. The temperature was mild and the leaves were just starting to change color. I’d wanted to ride there for a long time and finally got my chance. The horses were unloaded and settled in at their hitching posts and we checked in for the Competitive Trail Ride about mid-afternoon. It looked like there would be about sixteen competitors in my class riding the 36 miles over the next two days. 

I brought Windy over to show for the judges. “They said” both the equine and horsemanship judges were tough. "They" were right. I quickly lost three horsemanship points at check-in for things veteran riders probably do correctly in their sleep. But Windy was sound, had good metabolics and was ready to go. Unfortunately, later that evening, I discovered that I had forgotten to pack her saddle pad. The pad that kept her back safe and sound at the last CTR was in my two horse trailer at home. I’d have to make do with the extra one in my trailer and I didn’t feel good about it.

We rode out around 8:00 the following morning with a small group. Windy was pretty full of herself and we definitely weren’t going to mosey down the trail. A few times I wondered when – and IF – she would come down. And then we happened upon the first obstacle as we were climbing a hill. When it was our turn, we were asked to turn and face a blue ribbon tied to a tree and back between two rocks buried into the surface going off the trail. I took a deep breath as I moved her to the blue ribbon. I looked over each shoulder to clearly see where I had to move her and gently moved my foot back so that her hindquarters would line up. I told her “back, back, back” and gave the leg cue she recognized.  She collected herself and started to back in the direction I gave her.  I heard the judge say “one more step” and Windy took that last step. And the judge said “excellent!” The tone was set for the day! It was going to be an awesome ride.

We rode that first day for almost 7 hours. Our P & R checks were great. The rest of the obstacles and observations were hit and miss, but I felt like I had a good ride. When I untacked her at the end of the ride, I was sickened to find obvious edema from near the O rings. The pad I had to use in a pinch did not do the trick. That, combined with soreness of the loins, I started losing points quickly.

I truly needed a 34” saddle pad. Competitors were willing to help, but most were only 32”. I had another saddle in my trailer… perhaps if I used that; the O rings would not irritate the same area. I decided to take the gamble on it working….

On Sunday, we found ourselves being chased down the trail by a horse fly! Can those things boogie! The GPS said we were galloping about 19 mph and it was staying with us. At the first opportunity, I stopped Windy, jumped off and went to war with the bug. I won. Too bad I wasn’t scored on that maneuver! Later, another request was to trot at any speed down the trail and jump or stride a log which we will come to. I started out at a nice pace, rounded the corner and “the log” certainly seemed “tree sized” to me! I was in a good position and told Windy, “Jump!” She did. We nailed it! What a hoot!

It was the best of rides as Windy and I were in sync more so than at the previous CTR, albeit not good enough to be in the money (Windy was 7th & I was 8th in a class of 14).  It was the worst of rides as our saddle fit issues took away from the things that we were doing together so well.  Even though the different saddle didn't perpetuate the prior soreness, moving it off the sore area caused a girth sore so we lost a few more points at check-out.  I can't help but wonder how my regular tack would have changed the outcome.  I want a “do-over.”

Nonetheless, it was a great last ride. The last CTR for this year anyway. Next year? Who knows? Remember, I never say never….

She Cleans Up Well

There is nothing I appreciate more than a clean horse.  There is also nothing I hate more than bathing a horse!  It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it. 

Luckily the horses were up at the barn when I got home tonight.  Nothing like adding insult to injury if I would have had to go to the other end of the pasture to bring them up.  I thought briefly about fixing supper first -- another job that's right up there with bathing the horse -- but what the hell - why ruin the evening completely. 

It took over an hour to clean her from toe to head. 

"Did the bot flies have to choose this week to lay their eggs?"

"Where did she get that cut?"

"Why is her hair missing there?"

"Glad I don't get this black crap between MY boobs!"

"Great, a hoof flair!"

Nothing like being up close and personal and finding all the flaws!

"Ritz, go lay down!"

I was pretty happy with the finished product.  Braided her up to try to keep some of it clean.  Put on a blanket and a fly mask (they sure were pesky tonight!) and put her in the round pen that at the moment has more grass than sand. 

It's past my bedtime.  Getting up at o'dark hundred and hope to be heading out before 8:00 AM.  We should avoid most of the Omaha traffic that way. 

"Another tank of gas and back on the road again!"

On The Road Again

It seems like only yesterday I was planning my first Competitive Trail Ride (CTR) with Windy at Smithville Lake. Can't believe that was way back in May! And here it is September already and once again I am packing for a CTR -- an end of the season ride at Stephen’s Forest in Iowa this coming weekend.  Where has the summer gone?

I have told my friends that this ride is my CTR “farewell ride”. Not because I do not appreciate the sport. I do. What a great opportunity it provides for trail riders like me to ride new trails and do something different on the trails. And what valuable feedback the judging provides.  It truly challenges me to be a stronger rider and Windy and me to be a better team.  And at the last ride, we had so much fun.

So why quit now? "Quit" is probably too strong a word. And I never "say never”. But at this time in my life, not unlike many of you, I find I am trying to balance a lot of things: work, home, and the kids and all their activities. And when I look at the big picture, after this year, there are only five more football seasons.  And five more baseball seasons. And five more basketball seasons. Only five more fall concerts. You get the picture.  Then the kids are done. Graduated. Gone! I'll then find myself looking for something more to do with my time and perhaps CTR will fit better in that new life.  

But for now, the time it takes to truly condition for a CTR outside of normal riding, the expense of entry fees and travel (because only one CTR is relatively close to me), and the time away from home that all of this entails – combined with the time I am away for just recreational riding (which I won’t give up) - seems like a lot. Especially when so much is going on in their young lives right now.

So this coming weekend, I’ll go out with a bang or a fizzle. It doesn’t really matter. What I am expecting is to have two great days on the trail in early fall with my good mare and good friends. It doesn’t get any better than that!

CTR - Chapter 4 Finale

Me, Annette, Jess, Robyn

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

After the muddy hill from hell, I waited for Jessica to ascend from the same fate. Her eyes were big. She looked at me and as serious as a heart attack said “Tammy, I wanted to cry!” Jessica is younger than me (quite a BIT younger, I learned) and I look at her as one brave cowgirl. I figured if Jess was scared, it must have been really bad and we lived through it! As twisted as it seems, this brought about some newfound confidence for me and off we went.

The rest of the day was a blur. Fast riding, adventure, one wrong turn, and did I mention the mud? We splattered ourselves, we splattered each other and the points on the prettiest bay horse turned gray. But we didn't stop. We crossed creeks, fields and weaved our way through the muddy trails. And when we went through our first P & R check (pulse & respiration), our horses amazed us with their quick recoveries. After completing some 22 miles that first day (per the GPS), we were all smiles as we crossed the finish line.

Sandy, Annette, Jess

We stripped the tack from our horses and started the long task of mud removal so we could again present our horses to the judge. I was pleased to find that Windy’s P & Rs were great. She had no sign of soreness nor edema and was sound. And her legs didn’t move as the vet placed the stethoscope in the area that was so worrisome the night before. All of us newbies were given the green light to compete the following day.

Sandy, our mentor, didn’t fair so well. Her horse, Whiskey, was sore. The vet would recheck him in the morning, but Sandy knew in her heart she wouldn’t put him back on the trail. We would be flying solo on Sunday.

Robyn

The CTR people are a helpful bunch. Hearing of our dilemma, Shari Parys, offered to mentor us through the next day. Although we wanted so bad to take her up on her offer, we didn’t want the stress of mentoring us to take away from her competition. We thanked her and reluctantly declined. The four of us were on our own and come hill or high water, we were going to complete this journey!

We divvied up duties and with Annette and Bella in the lead, we were off! Our plan worked for the most part and we varied the tasks as needed. We all got an opportunity to lead. It was such fun to lead the group at a fast trot through the forest. Sometimes I was in the middle and even brought up the rear. The horses weren’t as high as the previous day, but were consistent throughout the ride. We attempted the obstacles albeit not necessarily pretty. Our P & Rs were as good as the day before. According to our GPS, over 2 days, we rode almost 40 miles in around 12 hours. We crossed the finish line a few minutes past optima time, well within the time limit. High fives all around! Sandy greeted us with hugs.

Windy after final vet check

After presenting our horse to the judge for the last time, we packed up our trailers to prepare for the trip home as the judges tallied the score cards. We joined the veteran riders - the best of the best - for the awards ceremony. We were most anxious to see our scorecards. It was a long two days and we longed for feedback. But nothing written on those cards would change the way we felt about each other and our camaraderie, our horses and their spirit or ourselves. The scorecard could not begin to capture what an incredible two days we had just experienced!

I’ve probably mentioned on this blog before that I am not real competitive. I’ve never been into sports and didn’t really care if I was the last chosen for dodge ball. I’ve felt the same with horse things. Although I’ll enter speed events and challenges at game days, it’s for my own personal accomplishment, not the win. Completion is where I get my satisfaction. Windy, the prettiest bay horse, my dream horse, gave me the ride of my life this past weekend in more ways than one! I couldn’t have loved her more. Imagine my surprise when her name was announced as the 6th place winner in our class of fifteen! You could have knocked me over with a stick.

Windy & I with her "award certificate"

I was not alone in bringing home the glory. Annette’s Bella Paint was the 5th place winner in our class and Robyn took 5th in horsemanship! A slight change in strategy and Jess or Cutter may have been in the placing, too. Jess was truly our rock from the get go! Not bad for a bunch of beginners! A special thanks and congratulations to our mentors and friends, Shari, Robin, Dave and Brenda, who were also in the ribbons! And for Sandy for showing us the way that first muddy morning!

CTR - Chapter 3

Chapter 1
Chapter 2

When competing in a Competitive Trail Ride, both my horse and I start with 100 points. The goal is to keep as many points as possible. I was judged on my horsemanship, which includes grooming and in-hand presentation, trail equitation and trail safety and courtesy. A horsemanship judge will observe the riders throughout the event. From check-in to on the trail to my campsite through checkout. I'll be under their watchful eye, grasping on to my allotted points!

On the other hand, a vet will judge my horse on her trail ability, manners, soundness and overall condition. Don’t be checking in any dirty horse! In my case, I figured a clean horse was all I had going for me, but the dang mud made even that job a challenge! Since winter, I have over 80 hours on Windy, close to a 100 miles and arena time prior to the ride. In addition, she spent 30 days at Brenda’s for a spring tune-up. I knew she was in good shape, but still, this was a long ride with pretty poor trail conditions. She would need to work.

At the ride meeting, we were told it rained 5 inches in a little over 2 hours. The ride would be delayed in the morning until ride management could get out to see if any of the trails needed diverted due to flooding. We saddled early and were soon informed there were no changes and we would ride out at 0800!

Sandy Ries, a friend and veteran CTRer, was our mentor and we followed her out somewhere in the middle of the CP/Novice riders. Windy was fresh, a little heady and light in the front when I tried to hold her back. I gave her her head and off we went. Just when I thought I might be able to breath, we encountered a volunteer on the trail. She told each rider in front of me to wait 10 seconds while the rider in front of them went into the trees, following a muddy trail. Soon it was Annette’s turn and she rode out of my sight.



“Wait for me, Annette,” I hollered in vain. The volunteer told me she wasn’t allowed to. The rider in front must continue on. She then told me to proceed into the forest of hell.

In real life, I have this little thing… if I get scared or feel my horse is out of my control, I get off. Pretty simple, really. Work through it on the ground or walk with my horse. But this was obviously not an option. I could turn around and go back. Take the walk of shame to the trailer, but I’d come this far. Not an option either. Or, I could move my mare on down the trail like the riders in front of me did. I didn’t hear any screams. Surely they survived.

As I approached the muddy downhill trail, my heart was in my throat. I wanted to close my eyes. In my mind, I pictured Windy on her hind legs, rearing as she approached the trail. But common sense would tell me she is going to be into self-preservation mode as much as I am and will hopefully agree that the descent will require use of all four of her legs. It’s not my first rodeo, for Pete’s sake. Buck up! I am pretty sure my eyes were open as we slid down the hill because when we reached the bottom, I looked up and saw several people standing on the hill above us. The conversation in my head now went something like this:

“Oh [crap], I’m being judged.”
“Don’t let her run them over.”
“Keep her straight.”
“I should grab the mane but can’t let go of the reins.”
"Pleeeeasssse don’t run over the judge.”
“Bet she remembers she about kicked!"
"Don't fall off now."
“Where’s Annette?”

My scorecard reads:
“Needs to be lighter in the saddle. Put weigh in heels and bring shoulders up.”

Shoulders up? Hell, I don’t know where my shoulders were. Driving the reins, I guess. Trying to keep my mare from taking out the secretary! Survival was worth the loss of one point.

(To Be Continued)

Chapter 4 - The Finale

CTR - Chapter 2

CTR - Chapter 1

The worst of the storm hit between Rock Port and St. Joseph. By the time we fueled up and got back on the road, the rain had stopped. The sky still looked pretty ominous as we pulled into Smithville Lake.

The campground was beautiful. There are ninety sites for horse camping. No power, but water hydrants were plentiful. I felt guilty unloading Windy on such nice grass, knowing after stabling her on it for a few days, it would not be so pristine. The plan was to set up camp and then check in. But once again, the skies opened up. When I heard hail starting to hit the trailer, I put Windy back in the trailer and took refuge in the living quarters. The other girls stopped over and we had some snacks and drinks as we waited out the storm. We waited and waited and waited.


Once we got a break in the weather, we finally checked in. When it was our turn, Windy and I approached the vet judge. I was careful to have my rope held as Shari showed me, not looped, but folded nicely in my hand and stayed on the same side as the vet. “I wish all the horses stood this nice,” said the vet as she went through the check starting with Windy’s mouth. Of course, she spoke to soon. As she placed her stethoscope on Windy's stomach near her flank, her rear leg went up. Not a kick exactly, but more like a reaction to being “goosed”. I heard collective gasps from the secretary’s table and those standing around us. The Prettiest Bay Horse just lost her first point. (To Be Continued...)

Chapter 3

Chapter 4 - The Finale

CTR - Chapter 1

I pulled into our driveway about 9:30 last night. I was weary from driving. My body felt tired; but it was a "good" tired. I unloaded "the prettiest bay horse in the world" and lead her into the corral. Ginger approached her first and as they often do after Windy has been away, they put their faces together for a few moments. I closed the gate and made my way back to the house still thinking about the weekend. How often do you get to spend three days with your friends and your horse at a beautiful park and do just what you love to do? Ride. And ride we did.

I did my first (and last) Competitive Trail Ride at Indian Cave in 2004 on Windy's dam, Ginger. She was pinch hitting for my gelding who came back from vacation that year with a sore back. My experience with Ginger up to this point wasn't good. She was John's horse, not mine. A bit like a little red sports car. Fast and quick. Not easy to "drive" and not real forgiving if you push the wrong buttons. And truth be known, she scared the beejeezus out of me! But she was also the only one in our herd who I knew could do the distance easily and I wanted to do it bad enough. Many times over the years, I have thought about throwing out those first scorecards. Egad! It was very humbling. My only consolation was that Ginger did worse than me! She wouldn't stand for the vet, she wouldn't let the vet touch her mouth. And obviously I didn't know how to press her "reverse" button because even the simplest obstacle, like backing through some ribbons, she refused. After that ride, I said "never again."


What changed my mind? Windy. She has been my partner for going on five years. I've learned a lot from this mare -- most notably that mediocre is not good enough. That I must become a better leader or she will jockey for that position every time. And while we continue to grow as a team, we both have tons to learn. This competition would be a good way to identify some of the things we need to specifically work on. In the last year, we logged 300 hours of trail time, probably riding over 1,000 miles. She is in great shape and well conditioned. And Ginger set the bar pretty low!

When I first saw the James Gang Rideout on the CTR calendar, I looked at a map. Smithville, Missouri is relatively close. An easy drive. A nice time of year. But this time I didn't want to do it alone. I needed a little help from my friends. Not just moral support, but their butts in the saddle next to me! And almost from the moment I suggested the ride, Annette, Jess and Robyn were on board! And with a great support group of veteran CTR friends, we had as much fun planning and prepping as we did riding. Well, almost as much fun....

It was cloudy when we left Nebraska driving into darker skies to the south. No sooner did we hit I-29, then the thunderstorm came rolling in. The Big Fat Lying Weatherman is never wrong when predicting the bad stuff.... (to be continued....)

Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4 - The Finale

CTR Weekend

It seemed like a good idea at the time… You know… when you are sitting around in late winter/early spring – horse deprived – just looking for opportunities to get out and ride. When I saw there was a Competitive Trail Ride relatively close (within 3 hours of here) in early spring, I was mildly interested. Then thought about Windy being at the trainer's in March and early April and knew she would be legged up… As I said – it sounded like a good idea at the time.

I didn’t factor in that busy weekend before – the annual Friday Before Mother’s Day Ride. And following that, the trail challenge clinic I'd signed up for (another good idea at the time). Followed by the real Mother’s Day, my boys’ year end school activities and then there is that pesky job… Did I really think I had time to not only continue to condition my horse, but to actually get away for a weekend? Well, the weekend is almost here and with a little help from my friends, it’s all a go! I am meeting Robyn and Annette at Jess’s house at o’dark hundred tomorrow morning and we will convoy to our ride at Smithville, MO.

TL: Annette, BL: Me, Middle: Robyn, Right: Jess

We are all CTR newbies. I rode in a competition once a few years ago on Windy’s dam, Ginger. Still a memory I am trying to forget… I guess I’m a glutton for punishment to want to do it again. But this is Windy and my 5th year on the trail and this is just another item to cross off the “bucket list” of our journey together. And despite my joking, she is in great shape right now and I think can handle the distance with ease. It's me I wonder about!

Today is the easy part: loading the truck and trailer. Not unlike any of our normal horse camping weekends. Tomorrow, we will pull into the ride camp at about noon. And the real fun begins! Stay tuned!

Riding with a Purpose

The weekend forecast promised much needed rain and the fields were wet before we even got up. So I was pleasantly surprised when the sun peeked out yesterday afternoon. Although the pastures and arena would be too wet for riding, the miles and miles of country roads surrounding us are perfect for such a damp day. I am planning to ride at a Competitive Trail Ride (CTR) next month. John and a friend are also planning their own version of a distance ride over Memorial Day weekend. So we both have reasons to get some time on our horses. Surprisingly, the horses weren’t too muddy. We chipped off the big stuff and saddled them in the light weight saddles as we planned to do some faster gaits.

We started out down our driveway and headed west at a good trot – about 8.5 – 9.0 mph according to the GPS. We would slow down and walk a bit and then pick up the trot once again. The video is NOT at the 9.0 mph pace. There was no way, no how I could have shot a video, checked GPS speed & stayed in the center of my horse! I had my helmet on, but I ain't no contortionist! This speed was probably around 5.0 mph.

Once, while climbing a hill, John kissed Ginger into a lope and we followed. John then increased his speed and started to gallop. I heard Windy’s three-beat lope turn to a four-beat as she increased her speed. I didn’t pull her in, but quietly said “easy” and she steadied at that speed. Quick glance at my GPS had us at 15.9 mph. It seemed so much faster than that! We headed three miles west and then turned south on a road which I have not traveled before. John was maybe 50 yards ahead of me when we noticed some cows out in a pasture. As we got closer to them, Windy started to snort. These weren’t ordinary cows! I pulled my camera from my pommel bag to get some shots. About this time, Ginger saw them and did a quick spin to look closer. The cows heard her and took off on a run, their long hair bouncing. I found out later they are called “Highlanders”. We took three five-minute breaks along our route and gave the horses time to graze in the green grass along the roads. We haven’t let them out to pasture yet so this was a treat for their hard work. We finished our ride in just 2 hours, covering 8 miles.

Sunday Stills

This church, Saints Cyril & Methodious Catholic Church, is located in Plasi, Nebraska. The little mission church is the only thing in Plasi! The church rectory is to the right of the church. There is also a small church cemetery. Located just 3 miles from us, as the crow flies, this view can be seen along one of routes I frequently ride.