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[RC] Angie....give me a break !!!! - Jody Rogers-Buttram

Ok, by now ( since I am always the last person to receive their EN) most of you have in your hands the latest and greatest copy of EN.  In this issue are some very interesting articles.  One of which is written by wonderfully entertaining (and RC's best) Angie Mcghee.  So, as a good little reader I read this and asked myself all the way through..."Am I guilty of this one?"  The following are some of my thoughts:
 
Runawy horses.  Yes, I have had this happen once, not too long ago.  At Oconee, had all four horses get out in the middle of the night and run off.  Found them, rode them next day....and they didn't want to get out and run any more.  Yes Angie....I did have the fence turned ON.  But, I am also guilty of not even taking the charger to the rides.  Since I read one of Angie's other articles on the topic, I thought, "maybe that is why I bought the charger to begin with?".
 
Corrals.   I loved this one.  Yes, I like to fence in a small farm.  But, since now most of my step in posts are bent (from the horses running thru them)...you can't stretch the wire so far without it sagging. So, I am down to normal size pens.  I thought about buying more posts, but  I figure it is a good way to police myself, and besides, the next time the horses get out and run off, they will just bend up the new ones.
 
Saving Spaces.  Its about time someone said this.  I suppose because of the generator (that is coming up) I don't have anyone saving me a spot.  Sooo, I look at all the other people saving spaces...and I do get envious.  So, my solution has been, get up in the middle of the night, one week before the ride and drive there.  If you are lucky, there will still be some good spots left.
 
Dogs.   Be there and done that.  To avoid any lawsuits I decided to leave the mutt at home.  I am really more of a cat person anyway.  So, since the last ride, we are taking the cat.  She will bite, will claw, but she stays inside and destroys the trailer most of the time.  I really liked the chili idea.  But, I suppose that Angie means for us NOT to put the anti-freeze in it.
 
Generators.  Oh, boy, this is the big one.  This comes down to the have's and have not's.  I joined the Have's only a couple years ago.  BUT, there is still a class separation within the group.  There are the ones that own the Honda's, the Onnan's and then, the third class citizens...like me that own the cheapest one on the shelf at Sam's.  The Coleman.  Yes, it does power lot's of nice toys.  Yes, I do own a 100 feet cord, drag it as far away as possible into the woods.  I did however stop Joel from bringing the piece of plywood to deflect the sound after reading something else about this topic that I am sure Angie wrote.  Our generator has a name....Big Boy.  And it is know far and wide throughout the SE.  People will stop what they are doing and applaud when we turn it off.  But to tell the truth....you really don't hear it over the air conditioner when inside the trailer.
 
Loudmusic.  Not guilty here, but I do remember a man from Mississippi years and years ago, that had a tape of Bagpipes....he would play that thing so loud that it was heard all over camp.  I didn't appreciate the Bagpipes then, but do now.  Chester....wherever you are....I miss you and your Bagpipes.
 
Port-a-potties.  I do try not to use them, if you are going to use one, do it the first day of the ride.  General rule is:  The longer one sits (no pun intended) the deeper the poo gets.  Enough said.
 
Shade.  This one goes back to the saving spots.  If you are self-employed, school your own kids, and make enough money to skip a week of work.  Then the shade can be yours.  But, if you are like me, your not any of the above.  So, I purchased my own shade.  Three of the EZ-up tents.  Two for the horses in the (now smaller corrals) and one for the vetcheck.  But, there can be problems with this.  I have no issue with people using my shade when I am not there.  Just please don't drag my buckets off when you leave the tent.
 
Trash.  I don't mind keeping up with the trash.  I do hate cleaning up the poop.  But, I do it.  I really don't think that I was guilty of anything here...except too many beer cans.  Maybe we should have a recycle bin at the ride sites.
 
Filling up water tanks.  I usually try to bring water with me.  I only own a 55 gallon barrel.  If I can fill it at the ride, sometimes I do bring it empty.  If I remember to bring the hose.  This is because the dinosaur of a truck (but it is paid for) can't pull up hills faster than 15 mph with a full load of horses, gear and water.
 
Drivers.  Since Joni isn't ready to turn loose yet....except for farm trucks at home in the cow pasture, I am usually on a horse somewhere in the woods with her at a ride, that leaves Joel.  Trust me, he is not going to go anywhere fast.   He is most likely the most likeable one of our family.  He usually is helping someone else and not being a pain.  So, I guess I am not guilty here.  But, given a few more years, Joni may have to have a leash on her.
 
Ok, I was brutally honest....can the rest of you guys do the same?
 
 
 
 

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