Limestone update

[Terry <canajello@echoweb.net>]

Well, the Limestone Challenge in Southern Oregon lived up to its name
with a flair. The drizzle that greeted riders at the starting line, that
we all expected to burn off when the sun came up, turned into a full
blown rainstorm by 9 a.m. and cranked up the challenge level to a new
high. Not only did we face steep ups and downs, now the narrow,
beautiful, one-track switchback trails through the trees became
slithering snakes of slime. Horses had to negotiate their way through
the trees and around the corners on footing fit for an ice skater...and
they did it so beautifully. One rider reported she tried to get off on a
downhill to help her horse only to have her feet slide out from
underneath her...so she climbed back on so the horse wouldn't end up in
her back pocket.
At the same time the riders were learning new depths of admiration for
their horses, they were also discovering the joys of hypothermia as the
rain drove into every open crevice and filled every boot. The pit crews
were great about having blankets waiting for the horses at the stops.
The P&Rs were quick and efficient and the vets worked like mad under
tough circumstances to get the horses properly checked as quickly as
possible so they could huddle under blankets and eat before leaving for
more work.
The rain dried up about 1 a.m. and at the time I left the ride camp at 7
p.m. there were no horror stories about injured horses...quite a tribute
to careful riding, and conscientious riders  and alert vets who pulled
horses it they looked too weary to face another section of trail.
Dinner afterwards was filled with happy voices and shared war stories.
The whole camp was filled with happy crazy people, including me. Well,
ride camp after the ride only reaffirmed an insight I had in the early
morning hours when the rain was blowing hard and the trees were whipping
around us and the horse was trotting with his ears pricked forward and
my partner and I were grinning and congratulating each other on how
lucky we were to be able to see this beautiful forest I distinctly heard
my mother's voice declaring we are all nuts...horses included -----  and
aren't we lucky?

Terry