Thursday, May 16, 2013

SADDLE UP

We have four horses
and Mr. Gorgeous LOVES his horses
I am still in the 101 stages of learning about horses
I love them too
but they are big
and strong
and can hurt you
and run fast
and have a mind of their own sometimes
and can hurt you
 
For example
(don't worry, I am not hurt)

A couple of weeks ago we went with some friends on a Trail Ride 
only about a 3 hour ride, no big deal really
BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY

This was not my first rodeo folks
(ok....only my second)
I thought I'd be able to handle myself pretty good   

and my friend the whole while kept telling me
that she wasn't a good horse rider

pfssst.....well, she was freaking Calamity Jane compared to me
and her husband
well
you could call him Roy Rogers
or the Horse Whisperer

From left to right
Mr. Gorgeous
me....the horse whimp
Calamity Jane
Roy Rogers

I was impressed however by me and my friends horse STYLE
I had a blue helmet and blue blouse
and she was all in pink
good to know
that if the EMT's have to attend to you
you look color co-ordinated   

The ride started off just fine and I was feeling
confident----ish
But the trouble all started for me
when we had this big hill to go down
Well..........DANG
 the rest of my group handled it just fine
and mozeeed (new word..or spelling anyway)    on down
Well my heart started beating hard
and I was getting all panicy
I kept trying to tell my horse
 
OK...STEP HERE
NO...NOT THERE FREAKAZOID
I SAID STEP HERE
ok....FINE
step wherever you want
just do not kill me going down this hill   
(sometimes horses have a mind of their own..so I found out)    
 ....lo though I ride through the valley of death, 
I shall fear no horse.....

OK...so I survived (thanks to my little prayer) feeling a little less then horse savy
and then came our first ...FIRST I TELL YOU
river crossing

    (me and Roy Rogers)

Crossing the river was not really the big deal here
it was the going DOWN the bank
and then coming back UP the bank

By then I could feel a bit of an anxiety attack coming on
and my horse felt my anxiety
and decided to JOIN IN on the whole anxiety ride

so he was having his own little rodeo

I AM GETTING OFF RIGHT NOW!!!...I said to my husband
So he got off his horse too
and walked with me for a bit
so that Black Stallion on Steroids
and I could calm down

whew
(did I mention horses can hurt you)    

We told our friends to go on ahead of us and we would catch up
then after a bit
they came and told us there was another river crossing up ahead

so
It was either wade across the river and get soaked
or mount up

I mounted up
and had a little chat with my horse about glue factories

     
 WE HAD SIX
SIX I TELL YOU
river crossings to do

but I think I put the fear of glue into my horse
and he was much better the rest of the ride

I was really kinda angry with myself
that I had lost my Annie Oakley MoJo

The end of the ride was here
at EM-TE town
such a cool place



   
Hubby...aka Festus
going to check out the joint

probably a good place for him 
 


me and The Horse Whisperer
FINALLY getting a chance to relax and CHILL

 
We all had a GREAT steak dinner here

 
going to check out the double decker out houses

yup...I'll stick to the UPPER level thank you

maybe I need to give up my horse riding
and become ONE with MISS KITTY

But
that all being said
IT WAS A GREAT DAY
I'M ALIVE
great friends
beautiful nature
a sense of accomplishment

Yup
I'll do it again


and to end this story


 love ya cowboy

23 comments:

~CC Catherine said...

Sweetheart, this was a HILARIOUS narration of your HORSE Oakley Annie (or whatever her name is LOL) extravaganza trip with GORGEOUS, Calamity Jane, and Roy Rogers. THIS is a HOOT and I LOVE the pics. I sat here on the sofa and read it out loud to Johnny. You're OH such a fun READ girlfriend. This little town looks like it was FUN!!! I'm sure that steak was YUMMY. I'm just curious how long this trip took from start to finish...You had to be HORSIN tired by the time you got home! SO FUN...I am PROUD of you friend! Love ya! xoxo

"Alone again.... naturally!" said...

HA! Did you ever see Miss Kitty ride a horse! I love horses but I am a bit nervous of them too....I think you did great! Cathy

The Gathering Place said...

You had me right there with you when the horse went down the hill! I haven't been on a horse since I was a YOUNG girl and I can feel your anxiety. Looked like a fun destination!

Pondside said...

..........and then you had to turn around and do it all again to get home?? Wendy, you are Annie Oakley, for sure! I haven't been on a horse since I was in my 20's and I'd be afraid I'd need hip surgery if I tried it . You are a Cowgirl Star.
Next trick - barrel racing???

tammy said...

Looks like a fun day. I'm impressed! I am a huge horse whimp.

Unknown said...

I love your stories :) I ride English once a week. I wish I had my own horse! They are huge and certainly have a mind of their own (like my lesson horse Toola...) but I love them anyway. Trick is to never let them know you're freaked, then they become big babies!

Looks like a great time!

Julie Harward said...

Loved your post...the thing about horses that I love is, you can trust them. When we trail ride, I just give my horse his head, he always picks the best way to go. I love it when they go down and up...just lean way back going down and forward going up hill. I love it when they lope up hills, like they just want to get it over with fast. You must have had a good horse with all the water crossings. Yes, go again..best of times! Way to go Wendy!!! :)

Welcome to the Garden of Egan said...

Oh my heck that looks FUN!!!!
Except the going up and down the treacherous mountains and stuff. I'm afraid of falling. I don't bounce so well.

Love the EM-TE town! So cute!
Last picture made me laugh!

I just love you.

Saimi said...

Oh my gosh what a dream ride dearie and I'm so proud of you for taking a hold of those reins and pressing forward!! You earned your Annie Oackly title!

Diane said...

Your a pro now....I think you should next ride in the rodeo! :)

Unknown said...

I think you're really brave. I have a healthy scare for horses. They are big and smart and have a brain. I'm of the opinion that they can decide at any moment they don't want you on their back and you'll be down. They bite, the step on you, they buck, they bolt. I'm just not a fan. But I'm mighty proud of you for riding and crossing those rivers!

jeanne, backyard neighbor said...

Oh my gosh Wendy, This post is so much fun. Especially since I am "not" on a horse!!! I love your humor the photos and the near collapse you had going up the river bank. Well, I was a bit sorry for your fear. HA! I am happy to see you had helmets on. A mere six rivers to cross? Yikes, I would have been quite afraid as well. We rode our work horses when we lived on a farm years ago. They were so big our short legs would stick straight out. Not kidding. I was 9 years old at the time. I too LOVE horses and I know you are quite the "cowgirl" by now. Smiling real BIG right now.
Love you bunches,
Jeanne xoxoxo

PS: You look beautiful in the pic with "Roy Rogers" Did you know Bill's dad went to HS with Lenard Sly. The real Roy Roger's name. We had a HS class photo with him in it and he dated my MIL's sister. He lived in a house with a dirt floor and was poor as dirt...no pun intended!!! HA!

Pedaling said...

you make me laugh.
is your butt, back and thighs a hurtin' to high heaven?

" Hit It......." said...

I am impressed that you even ride. Give yourself a break. I like horses but they scare be (probably their size). It's fun to try new adventures. Sounds like an awesome day.

Hilarious sign your hubby was holding up; he is so right! :)

mCat said...

Oh you are such a GOOD story teller! Love it and would have love to been a fly on the butt of that horse. Glue factory *snort* LOVE IT

Georgia said...

Haha! That was GREAT story. I loved that you put the fear of 'glue' into your horse and that you were color coordinated to go on your ride. Afterall, we know what is most important: To look good is better than to feel or be good--right?!

I'm glad you ended up in EM-TE and not with the EMTs.

DesertHen said...

Putting the "fear of glue" into my horse....Hilarious! But it sounds like it worked! I haven't ridden in years! Use to be very confident...now it just looks like a long way to the ground if I fall! And I feel like things are more breakable now...lol! Loved the pics! All in all, it sounded like a great way to spend the day with friends! And I love that sign!

Connie said...

Great post, I enjoyed the journey right along with you. We used to have horses a long, long time ago and went on a few rides up in the Cascade Mountains of western Washington. I so could feel your anxiety about going down steep trails, you really have to trust the horse and for a control freak like me I had a hard time letting the horse do what it naturally could do. The country looks beautiful where you are at. Thanks for sharing your adventure.

Becky Andrews said...

This was a delightful journey!! That's for sharing :)!

Mimi Sue said...

Sooo glad you made it out alive. Do you think they have any rooms at the Lost Woman Hotel? Horses are a little scary to me too. They're so tall! It's such a long way to fall! Mimi

DB Stewart said...

Made me smile. All the way through.

H.K. said...

I felt like I was on the horse trek with you- just reading about your anxiety handling the horse going up and down the river bank- I was getting anxious for you...seriously. I have a love/hate relationship with horses. I love their beauty from afar, but up close- I start to panic. Great pics!

Roslyn said...

OH such a cool adventure Wendy I wish I was with you it sounds like fun.