Karen’s Musings & Endurance Ride Stuff

Weather has been really nice here at Schellbourne – just enough cloud cover but still also sunny and warm. It’s great at night – no need to turn the heater on.

The clouds that we do have are making for a really beautiful sunset. Especially where the sun shines through and lights up sections of the mountain range behind us here in camp.

Today was a busy trail marking day. The two Dave’s marked trail in the jeep (and are still out) while I rode Rocky along with Peggy and her horse GeeTee. Peggy now lives in Ely – lots of you will remember her from LVDR and the Vegas rides.

We marked trail with the horses on some of the original Pony Express trail from the top of Schellbourne pass down through the Schellbourne Ranch and through the Schellbourne Cemetery.

I’ll post a few photos. It was nice to get Rocky out though he got a little excited at the start. You’d think it was the most exiting beginning of an endurance ride ever…but no, it was just he and one other horse leaving camp and yet it was still a *big deal* for him.

I tend to lose my patience with Rocky. I just figure that by now he should know better. Then again, maybe it’s me that should know better, maybe I should know that by now he is just going to be an highly excitable Arab and that age isn’t going to mellow him. Neither is the number of miles or years that he is ridden. Next to Chief Rocky is my 2nd highest mileage horse with around 7600 miles.

I was pretty pleased with how well Rocky did today though. He got back into the hang of things marking trail in a halfway decent manner. He would at least move up next to trees and bushes and stand while I pinned ribbons on. There were times that he wasn’t as good as he could have been but as the day progressed he got better and better at it.  He certainly did great in any technical sections or where he had to hop or jump or climb or use a brain when going over something that could cause a wreck with an otherwise inattentive horse.

I still don’t know why I lose my temper with Rocky, but if Chief behaves similarly I don’t get nearly as angry with him. I think it is because I know if I get after Rocky then he tends to tone down his behavior. If I don’t get after him it will escalate. Chief tends to be a more quiet, sensitive type personality and while he can get really wound up *my* staying calm seems to be what is best for him.

I really enjoyed getting to ride Rocky again on original Pony Express trail. This may be the last time I get to do that with him here at Schellbourne as this could be the last year for the ride here. Plus, life is short and you just never know how long you or your horse have got so I’m grateful to get this opportunity. The best part was when Rocky absolutely positively knew without a doubt where he was and which way to go. And he did. He has done this ride a couple of times (all 5 days), and is also thoroughly enjoying being here.

The wildflowers are gorgeous this year.  The riders are really going to enjoy the ride.  Higher up the hillside are lit up with flowers.  Even lower down they are out in all their brilliant glory – red, purples, yellow and white.  There is still snow higher up so we don’t get to do the entire Ranger trail this year.  There is still a pretty new ridgeline trail that has breathtaking views that we will get to do.

When we got back into camp, which is a fully fenced large cattle pasture I untacked and turned Rocky loose. First though, I longed him both directions to see how he looked and he was sound and looked pretty good.  He even thought it might be fun to spook at the outhouses.  You know, because he’s *never ever* seen one before! (hahaha)

Hmmmm, maybe Rocky has some more endurance miles left in him??? The only other horses here at the time were Dave Rabe’s and Peggie’s. Rocky didn’t seem concerned with either and grazed around his own trailer and stayed within sight of Chief. Whenever Rocky did venture too far I just called him and he came back. He definitely knows his boundaries. Shortly after a couple more rigs pulled in so he won’t get to be turned loose anymore. The cattle that are will will be moved out over the weekend and we won’t have to keep the gate entrance into camp closed.

The weekend will get busy with a lot more riders arriving. I can’t wait for the start of the ride on Monday and really am looking forward to riding Chief.

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