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[RC] Sunland secrets/Photographer? - beth gloverHi; I went to Sunland on Saturday, and unfortunately did not finish the ride. We all have heard that the ride is rocky, but yes there are rocks and then there are rocks. These are those igneous type , granite, sharp, quartz type rocks. Ouch. Of course there were other kinds too. Wow what a beautiful ride. That is secret number one. It looked like God was an interior decorator. It was cool and misty, with wild plants in shades of mint, sage, mauve, pink, burgundy, and peach. Just when I was thinking, "If this was a comforter set, maybe you'd want some gold"...there is was! Gold. Gorgeous. I had a very nice start to the ride, the horse was much less out of control than in previous rides. A much nicer horse. In my usual very slow, rearend of the pack, fashion, (crafted by years of carefully slow NATRC riding), I brought up the end of the 50 milers, although I could see a lot of horses without binoculars. I caught up with several at the "Roller coaster". Dang that was a steep downhill, and I thought if it was any steeper, you'd need a ladder. Its one of those hills that if your horse poops, the manure will roll swiftly downhill, passing you by, and maybe cause an avalanche. Well, I got off and slid partway down like a big chicken, and my surefooted horse managed to make it down too. The up and downhill were controlled by the photographer and a very nice man (volunteer) who were helping people to space each other apart and safely negotiate it. That uphill was incredibly steep, and required a comittment to make it to the top without looking back or stopping. That was when she took the photo, that I forgot to buy at the end of the day, and now would like to have very much. That was also when my horse ripped off her nice natural balance shoe, that I was so pleased with, and in the process , cut and tore her heelbulb. I didn't know that until a while later, and decided along with my companion Suzanne, to make my way carefully to the vet check to get shod. Well....the experienced management is very wise in their selection of a plac e to park a farrier, up there in the rocky alps. I had to wait in line! It was a busy day for the farrier. Yes people asked me about Easyboots, and no I didn't have one with me. This horse will not accept one (yet) she will shake her foot, and spook and rear etc. Training will be required, and that will be a project for the cold winter months. Well, here is the best secret about Sunland of all.... After I got the shoe, I had to go back and do a loop, all by myself, and hopelessly behind, thinking that there was a slim chance I could salvage and finish the ride. We got to a narrow single track, perched upon a ridge. It had some interesting downhills, with fun railroad ties to hop over downhill. Things that troubled me terribly a few years back, but with this horse, feel like play! My mare has a little, teensy, small, anxiety problem with cattle, ever since we got chased by a Watusi bull with six foot horn spread last year. We suddenly started to hear bellowing cattle, and she was not paying attention to the single track anymore. I thought, "Oh great, nobody mentioned cattle". But then we heard a wierd noise. Kind of a National Geographic noise. African Lions, "huffing" and then roaring! Lots of lions. Maybe a dozen or maybe twenty. In chorus. That horse was then staggering like a stunned drunk. Not spooky, just...out to lunch. When the lions paused in their roaring, then there were wolves howling. We looked down from the ridge, and saw a huge compound, the "Wildlife Waystation"!. Talk about schooling your horse. Hurray she did not bolt. Nothing bad happened, it was just interesting. I am going to go back there on a tour with the kids, 'cause they have WAY more lions than the zoo! And you know what? Later when we were on a particularly rocky section of the trail, there was a ladder, affixed to the hill on the side of the fireroad. See! Someone else thought they needed a ladder. Long story short, at the lunch stop, which I made the cutoff, by just a few minutes...I looked at the hoof with the cut on the bulb, with the vet, and decided to pull at that point. The horse wasn't lame, but it was tender to pressure by the vet. So, much to my disappointment, that was the end of that day. That's all I know about the ride, because it was freezing and threatening rain, so I left early. It was a short drive home. Does anyone know how I can reach the ride photographer to try to order a picture? She was Jonni Jewell (excuse me if I spelled it wrong) and I don't know how to reach her. thanks for any information. Beth Glover From Beethoven to the Rolling Stones, your favorite music is always playing on MSN Radio Plus. No ads, no talk. Trial month FREE! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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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