Grey is almost back and Box Elder trails

[Teresa Van Hove <tvanhove@uswest.net>]

Well after reading about all the 100+ entry rides 
this is small potatoes, but I wanted to thank
Brad, Linda, Linnea, and all the volunteers for
putting on the Box Elder trails ride last weekend, 
and thanks Nancy for hosting the ride. 

Great weather, easy trails, quite good turn-out 
for an april ride in this area. (I think over 40
entries between the various distances) Very good because
they were raising money for Front Range Exceptional
Equestrians (theuraputic riding program.)  

On a personal level I was well pleased.  Last year
I finally started some dressage work to strengthen
Grey's back - but the short term result was that 
his OF saddle starting really hurting him and I 
had to find a saddle that fit him properly.  He
was quite hard to fit, In July I bought a Stubben
that I thought would work with re-stuffing. In Aug
I took him up to ND to mark trails etc for the ride
I was managing and he had some back soresness 
with the newly stuffed stubben.  He also put his
hind leg over his lead rope while itching his head
on a picket line and gave himself a really nasty
rope burn - took 5 months for that to finally 
heal, and in the meantime I bought an Irish saddle
that really seemed to fit him well - 1st saddle I
ever sat on him that did not ride uphill at all.

Well after not doing an endurance ride for well over
a year I decided that the LD would be the best choice
for both of us and I almost wimped out on that as I'm
still not ready for overnight ride camping but Brad 
convinced me to come as he was having a late start and
I could just drive up in the morning.  I actually made
it without getting lost even after tossing and turning
most of the night with pre-ride jitters :)  The weather
was great as I said.  The ride was mostly roads and 
they were hard packed but the ditches were really well
maintained and nice to ride in so I didn't stress about
road concussion and we had a nice view of the mountains
in the background.  I was really glad I was only entered
in the LD when we started the 2nd loop and Grey got a bit
tired that loop too so choosing the LD was definitely 
the right decision for us, but he had NO back soreness
after the ride and I am looking forward to doing a 
50 with him the 1st weekend in May at Kenlyn's;
plan to take my 4 year old 1/2 arab pony at the Pawnee
ride on April 22nd and let her experience her 1st official
ride.  

Cheers,
Teresa