May 27 2013
I am on my way home from Camp Osborn benefit ride in Sylvester, Ga. and reflecting on the weekend. My husband and I took our 7&1/2 yo grandson, Austin, for his first ride. The horse we brought for him was sick when she came off the trailer and unable to be ridden on Sunday. Before extreme disappoint and the back up plan was finalized, my friend Jodi Buttram just happened to have brought Aries(23 yo awesome, retired endurance horse) with her. I asked if she would mind Austin riding her. Yes was the answer and excited with the prospect. Austin, who always seems to rise to the occasion was very eager to ride her. ( not scared at all)
Off we went about 15 min. after the start with a little anxiety of the unknown but excited to get started with my husband and I heading and healing. It became apparent this horse was about as good as it gets and can she trot. The sight of this little child and this 15h horse going down the trail like nobody's business is a memory I will never loose.
We had a nice finish of 4h 20min.with all horses looking good at the final vet check. After the final trot out Austin told the vet (Anna) and all the others at the check he would see them next year. He took care of his horse and then returned Aries to her trailer. The rest of the day was spent jumping off one of our horses back in the lake, swimming in the pool and climbing the rock wall. What better 1st. Endurance ride could a child or adult for that matter have!
We got in the truck to go home the morning and out of the blue he announces he is proud he finished his ride .
I cannot say enough of how this memory got better except that the ride management, volunters, old friends and new friends were his cheerleaders for the whole day and thrilled to see this boy complete a very important day in his life and be apart of it. My husband and I are very lucky to be a part of this group.
Thank you Kim and peeps,
Terry Price
P.S. Austin slept about half of the 9h ride home
P.P.S. Dee Dee Huff is an awesome vet
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Monday, May 13, 2013
Eagle Scorcher! - Karen Bumgarner
Karenshorsetales Blog - Full StoryMay 12 2013
The 2013 Eagle Extreme Endurance Ride was certainly extreme as there appears to be a heat wave passing through setting record high temperatures. I heard it was 93 which for May 11 is pretty dang hot.
It wasn't a big turnout, 3 on the 75 and 15 on the 50 miler with 15 on the 25 mile LD. A lot of trail riders came for the day too. I was riding Blue with my friend Tamara Baysinger. Tamara was starting her new horse on his first 50 and I had said I'd take Blue along to keep her company. Always helps a green horse to have an experienced trail buddy.
Our first loop went out through the sagebrush and we climbed up to the edge of Rocky Canyon as the sun was coming up. It's a couple hundred feet deep and has the notoriety of being a murder site a few years back when a guy pushed his wife over the cliff. Her friends put up a cross in her memory.
At the 12 mile point I thought I'd put Blue's interference boots on his hind legs. I was sure he would have settled down enough for that but about 200 yards later we had a bit of a rodeo...
Read more here:
http://karenshorsetales.blogspot.com/2013/05/eagle-scorcher.html
Saturday, May 04, 2013
75 at Tough Sucker II - Karen Bumgarner
Karenshorsetales Blog - Full StoryApril 27 2013
Deja Vu!! Back in Oreana, ID at the Tough Sucker ride in April. The only difference was in 2012 there were 4 entries on the 75, this year there were two. Sad but I really wanted to do the 75. At least I had someone to ride with, Trish Frahm and I were riding it together. Last year Thunder and I did the whole thing by ourselves.
The almost full moon was going down
The sun was coming up
The shadows were long as we were the only horses and riders trotting around the desert surrounded by the Owyhees...
Read more here:
http://karenshorsetales.blogspot.com/2013/05/75-at-tough-sucker-ii.html