What a great ride!! The management was great,
the trails were tough and satisfying, the weather was ok except for that
downpour, and I gained a new appreciation for my gritty little brown
mare.
Here's what I learned:
1.) As much as I crab about the Northeastern
winters, there is nothing more beautiful and fragrant than the mountains of
Pennsylvania when the rhodies, the mountain laurel and the honeysuckle are in
bloom.
2.) I remembered how I LOVE a tough trail-
mountains to climb, rocks to be careful of, slides and banks and knee knockers -
bring it on! The recent turn toward easy galloping trails is not for
me.
3.) Twelve hours on a horse is tough on a soon to
be 45 year old body. 25 was so much easier and I had no appreciation for
it!
4.) Crown Royal eases the pain - thanks
Skip.
5.) By the end of a ride, I regret the truly awful
names I called my horse in the beginning when she was trying to run away with
me. I regret them but I will not apologize until she apologizes to
me.
6.) My horse likes everyone else's hay at a ride
and will not touch her own.
7.) Electrolytes are over used....if you first
teach, and then allow your horse to eat and drink, you may not need them.
Equal Terms had no dehydration or other metabolic problems after 75 miles in 12
hours with NO electrolytes - NONE.
8.) Sometimes going back to the old stuff is
better. I rode in a 25 year old stonewall with a supracore pad (total
weight, 208 lbs) with just a slight amount of sensitive skin on her right
side. This old saddle has fit her better than the 5 or 6 newer models I
have tried.
9.) I truly love to ride new trails. I
jokingly said, at the awards, that just being out there on beautiful trail
on a good horse was award enough. Actually, I wasn't joking.
Ride safe and remember to smell the laurel,
Laura Hayes Vine Cliff Farms Brocton,
NY AERC# 2741
