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[RC] Gotta love Florida Training! - CowgirgoofI know those of you from the great white north must get sick of the snow and cold, but down here by April it's hot and buggy... Plus, we deal with what happened tonight. My friend Anitra and I decide to rush home from work to get in a nice ride up in our state park (Lake Louisa, Clermont, Fl). It's a beautiful sunny 87 degrees when we unload. We're seeing a few clouds, but thinking we are in for a great fun ride. I'm on my four year old Moyle who's still mostly on the green side, and Anitra is on her high strung National show horse. We get about a half mile out when the clouds start rolling closer, and the wind starts picking up. Well you know that not too many "green" four year olds are going to let a good opportunity like this pass them up! <G> Eli wants to trot, so we pick up a nice strong trot. He was feeling frisky, so he had to pitch a little "feeling so good green horse fit". Fortunately I stay on that one and let Anitra know I don't think my guy is warmed up enough. Needless to say, he just knew what was coming. The rain Gods let us get another mile out (about the time Anitra and I start realizing those clouds are looking very threatening!). We start quickly planning a quick escape route but alas there was nowhere to go. Darn these Florida super storms that are fast, super scary with lightning cracking everywhere and they can dump about 2 inches of rain in 30 minutes! We started to take a cut through, but decided it would be quicker to turn around and go back. About the time we turned around, the rain started. Fortunately it gave us a medium start (big fat drops pelting us), and I was quite proud that my little guy held it together. Within two minutes it was dumping cats and dogs and elephants on us. Since lightning was starting to touch down close (of course with huge claps of thunder right behind), we decided to take it slow back in. My poor little guy was trying to stop under trees, and walk as slow as he could as if to say "you expect me to ride in THIS?". We laughed about that. Of course I had to break the news to him that some day he will be trotting maybe 100 miles in the @&**%!! rain <G> Well we made it back in one piece without getting struck down, bucked off or ran away with, but Anitra was freezing (her truck thermometer said it had dropped to 65- in less than an hour no less), and I was already sick with a bad cold (yes, we distance riders can be just plain dumb- now I'll probably get pnemonia). I have to admit, it probably was the best training my young guy could have had though. Now he's ready to be a real trail horse. PS- my guy is solidly "John Lyons method" trained, and it sure paid off tonight... Happy Trails, Becky Siler southeast region ride photographer =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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