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[RC] Fw: A Testimony on overcoming Fear and to Adrienne Hewitt and Pearly Shells - Tom Sites

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Dear Terry:

As always, I am so glad to hear from you! I am so glad that you are able to
ride once again. And, that you are able to do surgery on the small animals
you love so dearly. You are the only person I know that had a serious
accident and told you would never ride again too. I am so thankful everyday
that I ride. After Biltmore this year, I cried like a baby!

In scanning your e-mail earlier today, I kept thinking I needed to share
something my good friends, Tom Sites and Jeannie Waldron shared with me when
I was afraid to ride. It was shortly after my recovery and I was so afraid
to ride, especially to ride steep trails and to ride at Leatherwood again.
³Trust the horse and don¹t look down!² Although it literally scared me to
death, my friends in VA took me up the Trail of Tears. It is one of the
steeper parts of the former Cosequin Challenge 100 mile Endurance Ride.

The only reason I felt half way safe is because they afforded me the
opportunity to ride a little Arab by the name of Pearly Shells. The cute
little bay had done Old Dominion and the Tevis Cup several times. So, I was
not only honored to ride the little guy, but had an amazing experience with
his owner, a rider by the name of Adrienne Hewitt.

If you get Endurance News, you may be able to find the article from the year
before last ­ Riding with Cancer. I had the great honor to meet and ride
with Adrienne, through my beloved friends and Knights of the Golden
Horseshoe ­ Tom Sites and Jeannie Waldron.

It seemed to all too unreal for my fragile body and mind to comprehend at
the time. My friend and fellow Knight, Tom Sites had received a call from a
former Iron Man Triathlete from California. Through a riding friend they
connected and this nice gentleman wanted to experience the loftier trails of
the Shennadoah Valley. It was on Memorial Day weekend and I drove to
Virginia in a shear panic. Yes, I wanted to ride, but I was so afraid of
steep trails and still quite scared to ride again period.

About nine of us rode off that day from a barn where Garnett Gallant was
living. We rode down a lovely road. I watched while my friend, Pauletta was
heartily bucked by a bit of a rogue. I was so thankful she was a good rider
and I wasn¹t on that particular horse. I wasn¹t really strong enough to be
riding yet, but I felt so safe on little Pearly Shells and to be with
Adrienne. Although she was very frail at the time, she had the heart of a
lion. As we ascended into the hills, she told me not to be afraid. I took
one look at her ­ head wrapped in a scarf from her chemotherapy, her frail
body, but her spirit was so strong. Her will to live gave me a great deal of
strength and courage that day.

When part of the group turned to ride back to camp, my friend Jeannie
Waldron said, ³Come on, we¹ll have great fun! You can see the Indian Mounds²
Here I was riding with several of the best endurance riders in the world ­
Jeannie Waldron, Lynn Gilbert, Adrienne Hewitt and Garnett Gallant. As I
told Adrienne, I was used to be the teacher ­ the one taking care of
everyone else. On this day, I became a student again.

Adrienne and I rode in the back, chatting like children. I just had to see
that the horses ahead were going to make it up the steep trail first. I
thought to myself, If Adrienne in her weakened condition could do this, I
will not be afraid.¹ Who was I kidding, I was scared to death. Up, up, up we
rode ­ I never thought we would ever make to the crest. Still in the back
with Adrienne, we had the greatest conversation that day as we went up, over
the crest and down the other side of the mountain.

Even though the view was quite glorious, I couldn¹t look down to enjoy the
view. All I could think was what Tom and Jeannie told me, ³Trust the horse
and don¹t look down.² What an amazing experience I had on that day in May!

But I know that day, that ride and meeting Adrienne was not just by chance.
She changed my life. On the Trail of Tears, I found tears of great joy! I
literally cried the entire time, as I drove back to North Carolina. I was so
thankful to ride again! I believe in my heart that through my friends, God
brought Adrienne, Pearly Shells and I together to help me ride once again.

My new found friend Adrienne rode the Old Dominion 50 in June, never taking
more than a Tylenol for her great pain. It was only a short time later, I
found out her frail body did not survive the ravages of her cancer. I only
knew her for a day, but her spirit truly gave me great strength, courage and
the will to ride again. I will never forget her or that day with my friends.

God gives us many blessings. That day was truly the day my life/recovery
turned around through Adrienne¹s great courage. And as you see from the ride
results you follow in EN - I am riding with a renewed sense of purpose and
vision. I owe this to many friends and I am so thankful for them. I wish I
would have had the chance to tell Adrienne what she had given back to me. It
was a simple gesture, the loan of a great horse and her fellowship that day.
It is the reason I have been able to return to the world of endurance that I
love so much!

Take one day at a time, do what is comfortable and know that it means a
great deal to have someone follow my recovery. Thank you for being my friend
Terry! And, I can not wait to see you at an Endurance ride once again. Time
will heal your wounds and I know you will truly experience the magic to fly
once again on the wings of a great horse.

--
Carol A. Bracewell
Sr. Account Executive

Synergy Ad Group ROAM Magazine

"There are many who allow their dreams to run wild, but few brave enough to
follow."

Unknown



Hey lady!
Hope you are doing well. I have gotten a new older horse. He's quite small
and has been used as a lesson horse. He's vocally trained and if you are
not positioned properly or he thinks you are attempting something that you
shouldn't; well, let's just say that it isn't going to happen! Dusty gets
along with him well. I have had him since June. He has been given to me
for as long as I want him. The owner has been helping me several days a
week with lessons. She has me doing flying changes and I'm even cantering.
I must admit, cantering still scares me! I wonder if I'll ever overcome my
fear. If I could just cut my head off and just ride; I'd be ok. Know what
I mean?
Last Sunday my surgery technician came and got Monster ( my new horse) and
myself and we rode around Salem Lake. It was supposed to be a 6 1/2 mile
ride, but turned into a 7 1/2 mile ride after we made a wrong turn. I was
quite tired when we finished. It was my first "off the farm " ride with
Monster. He did great considering all of the bicycles and very bold
runners! It made me wonder how I ever got up to 25-30 miles!
Then yesterday Laura, the lady who owns Monster, has recently moved to
Southern Pines for the winter with her employer. She manages his horses.
He's 85! She invited me down for a ride on the foundation. The horse she
chose for me was a Belgian/TB cross. I couldn't even touch the top of his
back. And the air seemed so much thinner when I was mounted (ha!). He was
ever bit of 16.2 or better. We rode for 2 hours at least. It would be a
perfect place for an endurance ride. It was very sandy and reminded me of
the place Duane and I competed at in Augusta in May just prior to my
accident. I will probably go back in the near future to help with my
confidence. We just walked and trotted. It is different when you're not in
your saddle. I am used to riding in my orthoflex that I bought from Duane.
So how are you? Is this colder weather beginning to cause you to hurt more?
I sure am! How's work? I see you are still competing. I am proud of you.
My surgery technician, Cathy, and I still want to go on an endurance ride
just to to say we completed it. I know you would understand the sense of
accomplishment since your accident has been so debilitating as well.
There's always next year! For now I just take it one ride at a time and am
thankful that I can!
Take care and let me hear from you!
Always,
Terry



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