Re: Can you say tent? (Was: Slide in Camper or Gooseneck)

[Sue Brown <sbrown@wamedes.com>]

>I have tremendous respect for those who can camp and ride, but I also 
>understand that those who have at least some sort of minimal living quarters 
>have a much easier time of making life easier for their horses, too.  I
don't 
>have a shower, indoor plumbing, A/C, or a microwave, but just a comfortable 
>bed, a heater, a stove, and a place to have a porta-potty under the same
roof 
>makes endurance much more possible for me.  Our tack also stays in there, 
>warm and dry--and I have a hunch that our horses appreciate that when the 
>weather is sub-freezing, too.

It kills me -- I have a perfectly good camper (older but in good condition
and not fancy but warm with a refrigerator, regular mattress, stove, etc.)
sitting behind the arena that I can't use right now because I have a short
bed 3/4 ton truck and pull a 3 horse slant.  The truck would need some
extra stuff done to it for the camper to even fit and still be able to haul
a trailer...not to mention that the added weight of the camper would mean I
*definitely* would not make it over the passes (or any big hill, for that
matter!!!)  I barely make it with the loaded 3 horse and just our camping
stuff in the rear of the truck.  So I'm still travelling with a tent.  

There is a light at the end of this tunnel however...we get a new truck
this year!!!  We're getting a 1 ton crew cab long bed and THEN I will have
a warm place to sleep.  Nearly froze at the Alpine ride -- the second night
was better because (I got smarter) I had about 3 layers of polar fleece on
inside my sleeping bag including a hat and another glove as a nose warmer.
The dish water left in the pan over night was a 2" frozen block of ice.  I
have a pic of Aarene holding it around 10am and it was still frozen.  We
survived tho...and it wasn't awful.  I grew up camping in northern
Minnesota so I'm pretty skilled in that department...but I'm definitely
looking forward to the new truck! ;-)

Sue 

sbrown@wamedes.com
Tyee Farm
Marysville, Wa.


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