Once a friend and I shared the cost to RENT a trailer ($10 / day ) and went
to Idylwild for the day with some other friends that knew the area ( the
horse/hiking/trail side of the Palm Springs Tram ) Well that was all it
took. I was to be sold on trails for life.
Now enter Husband and kids, and 15 years later...Now we are in a position to
aquire horses once again. Then for a birthday present in '91, I rec'd the
grey arab mare I had always dreamed of. Gina and I rode all around, taking
the kids most of the time. Then I BOUGHT MY FIRST TRAILER. That poor ol' 2
horse hauled us all over the place. Then the 4-horse stock trailer to get
us all there at once.
Now enter the new neighbor with horses of her own, and she introduced me to
the trails HERE. Well, even better than being a lonely teenager off by
myself...because only my horse understood me....now as the mother of 5 and
working more than full time outside the home, and the cooking and the
cleaning and the shopping (ps..military wife = part time single parent ) and
trail rides with all of the kids to 4 of us mom's decided to go for a "mommy
ride". Boy oh boy did we have fun. And it was so relaxing. I came back
ready to face the awful demands of drudgery.
I had heard of Tevis, and had always thought it would be a gas to be able to
do...but I never ever heard of AERC or any of the local rides. Low and
behold, there was a 2 line ad for the Pendelton Challange '94, coming up in
2 months. Well me and Gina hit the trails for real. No longer "mommy
rides". I did what I thought was lots of training(NOT) and thought we were
ready. We went, we finished in exactly the time I had planned, I couldn't
walk after I poured myself off the horse. I had to take a nap before I
could drive home ( an hour away ). I got home full of enthusiasm and told
my Husband that THIS IS WHAT I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR FOR 20 YEARS !!!!!!!
Well, here I am and here I am going to stay, for as long as I can get on a
horse. And a friend is 73 and still going strong, may I be as blessed.
It recharges my batteries. It restoreth my soul. It makes me forget I am
41 and not 15 and care free anymore. I am able to show my kids the joys of
the outdoors, the beauty of this land, how to take care of our resourses.
Yes I get a little mushy, but I DO FEEL THAT WAY. I get no greater joy than
to come upon a herd of deer up by the springs. Or just listen to the quiet.
That's why I do....endurance.
ps. where else could I get such a cool t-shirt for only $65 ?
Happy trails
Becky Hackworth