|
Mother's Day for Horsewomen
Springtime in Nebraska is so
unpredictable. The first nice day is usually Easter Sunday and with a non-horsy
extended family, there is no way horses can be introduced in that religious
holiday – no matter how close to God I feel when I ride! There are first
communions and confirmations… all which would be hard stretched to include
horses. When we first bought our horses, I’d find myself itching to escape from
these family get-togethers and ride. Felt deprived of good weather that we
longed for all winter and stuck in the house with ham and mashed potatoes, loud
kids and Easter eggs!
Eight years ago, a few friends and I
took the Friday BEFORE Mother’s Day off from work and went and rode. We felt it
would be “our” day and then we wouldn’t be so depressed come Sunday when we had
to spend it with in-laws and out-laws and wild children! The next year we
invited a few more friends and the next year a few more and so it grew. This
past Friday, one hundred and twenty two riders – a majority of them women and
mothers -- met at the Oak Creek Trail for the 8th Annual Friday
Before Mother’s Day Ride.
Preparing for the ride begins with
requesting a permit from the trail managers. Now you would think when they
issued the permit, they would have thought that perhaps the bathroom at the
trail head should be unlocked for this special occasion. Imagine our surprise
when the first of 122 women start to arrive after 2.5 hours on the trail and
find the bathroom locked! So the bar in Loma once again put their plumbing to
the test. We owe them BIG TIME!
It used to always be a chore to get the
horse water to Loma the night before. I always called it John/Tammy fight
night. I was at his mercy to haul it – and his enthusiasm wasn’t quite as
evident as mine and something always went wrong. But despite no facilities for
the people, the horse water went off without a hitch this year!
I only heard of one unplanned dismount
during the ride. In the past, we’ve had broken ribs and a broken ankle.
Either our riders are getting more experienced or are riding better horses.
Food was catered at noon and following the ride. Who could ask for a better
Mother’s Day? The sun came out, the plum blossoms still had some blooms and I
think God smiled on us that day.
So I couldn’t just leave it at that,
could I? Following the ride, I joined 9 other women for a mock Competitive
Trail Ride at Two Rivers. Seasoned competitive trail riders volunteered to
mentor us through an actual ride. I pulled into the campground shortly after
the Mother’s Day Ride & set up camp. Bright and early the next morning,
following Starbucks coffee brought to camp by a friend, we saddled up for our
CTR. And the clouds rolled in. And the rain started. The organizers said they
would call it off if there was lightning. There wasn’t. It just rained and
rained and rained.
Only horse people find them more
involved in the game than worrying about how wet they are getting. We did our
obstacles, we trotted, we went through P & R’s, and we rode some more. Before
we knew it, we were back at camp. And we were wet. And cold. You know how you
get those chills right after childbirth? That’s the kind of chills I got as I
dismounted and started to put my tack up. I had the chills through our potluck
dinner & as I tore down camp. I brought 4 coats along and had one dry one left
to ride home in. The heater felt great on this crisp spring day. I walked in
the house, hair still wet. My husband is pretty sure I am crazy. He’s probably
right. But the next day as I am sitting with in-laws and out-laws, watching my
wild children play football in the yard and the sun is shining, I am grateful I
already had MY Mother’s Day!
Thank you for attending the 8th Annual
Friday Before Mother's Day Ride. See snapshots shared with me of the
Friday Before Mother’s Day Ride 2008.
Photos taken by Asche Photography will be available soon. Please check
back.
If you have missed an installment of Stable Talk, visit
the archives for past entries..... |
