Re: Long - Virginia is for (horse) lovers!

[owens <owensall@sierranet.net>]

Dear Linda;
I really enjoyed your post about riding  Virginia.  You wrote so well
that it almost was as if I was riding right there, also.
I especially enjoyed your description of Caradeno and what it was like
to ride him through that gorgeous scenery.  You see, he was owned and
trained by my friend Cora Greene and sold to Lari a few years ago.  I
used to love riding with Cora and Deno around the trails here (near
Yosemite) and have many fond memories of him.  I was so happy to read
that he was doing well and still is the wonderful guy Cora loved.  I
immediatly called Cora and shared your story.  She was so happy to hear
it.
If you or any ridecampers are interested in a lovely gelding trained in
much the same way Deno was, and that Cora helped pick out, I have one,
sweepstakes, available.
Thanks for sharing your story.
Katee
> 
> Two weeks back I posted to RideCamp asking about riding
> opportunities in Virginia. Family business would keep me in a
> 500 mile radius of Winchester for 9 days, and I knew I'd go
> crazy if I couldn't ride at least once, so I figured I'd try and
> ride with a few Ride Campers during my stay. Sally Augier did
> this when she came to California.
> 
> This trip "home" has been great. Thanks to ride campers and
> Virginia friends, I remembered that I'm a Virginian living in
> California. After 23 years of visiting the east, I went home for
> the first time.
> 
> The week was perfect. The weather was clear, the sunsets and
> sunrises - spectacular!! The fall foliage is at it's peak; the
> sumac, maple, oaks and gums, ash and hickory - all are vibrant!
> I was in St. Michael's (Chesapeake Bay), Hagerstown and
> Frederick Md, and all over Delaware, Virginia and Washington DC.
> My Buick Skylark had 1900 miles on it when I turned it in. How
> did I do that???
> 
> I had great responses on the riding. Valerie Kanavy invited me
> to ride in Fort Valley, Sally Augier arranged a Graves Mt ride,
> and Lari Shea offered her wonderful Cardeno, staying at
> Valerie's barn. When I got home, I found another invitation to
> ride the FV ride from Lori Hayward! I only use this gilroy.com
> address for ridecamp, and missed the opportunity to meet Lori -
> Argh! I'll be back soon, Lori!
> 
> I got in five VERY good rides in in 9 days on 3 horses.
> Endurance riders, my father says, must  be "that way" about
> everything. He's right. The WEG discussion is another example!
> 
> I arrived at Valerie's last Friday to take Lari's Cardeno out.
> The Kanavy's run a phenomenal horse operation! It's perfectly
> suited to what they do, which is locate, train, manage and
> compete top notch endurance horses. Their stable of consistently
> great horses made me itch to ride!
> 
> My favorite ride on Cardeno was east over the mountain to the
> road that runs along the Shenandoah River... The bright gold,
> crimson, red, orange, violet and lime foliage stretched out
> forever; showers of golden leaves that drifted down from the
> trees while the aroma of wood smoke wafted by. The only sound
> was Cardeno's steady trot and canter, accompanied by the breeze
> rustling through the trees and gurgling voice of the river. It
> was one of my most memorable rides ever!
> 
> Cardeno was an excellent companion; it took me hours to wipe the
> smile off my face every time I rode him! His name should be Mr.
> Personality - he's lovable, "a pussycat" when not competing as
> Lari says. Comfortable, powerful and *very* fast. He's an
> extremely fun horse to ride; fast, reliable and VERY
> comfortable. He never hesitated, spooked or resisted; always
> VERY eager and willing. An incredible horse to ride!
> 
> Thank you, Lari for the opportunity to ride this fellow... I'm
> indebted forever! Valery and Danielle - I'll never forget your
> wonderful southern hospitality and invaluable "lessons"; I
> learned much from both of you in a short period of time just by
> being around you! If you ever need a crew or a hand, I'll be
> there for you; that's a promise. I may end up being another of
> your many good neighbors!
> 
> I made it to the Fort Valley ride on Saturday and met many folks
> - I can't even begin to name them all... I missed meeting
> several that I particularly wanted to meet because 1) I had to
> leave the ride early and 2) I couldn't identify them!  Tom Sites
> was there, (met him while crewing for the Brazilians at Tevis)
> and he once again entertained me with his minstrel banter... if
> you think of communication as an art, Tom is a, uhhhh, prolific
> artist !!! ;^)  Tom, if you get this, keep up the good work...
> there is no finer way to spend your life than by decorating the
> planet with fine plants and broad smiles!
> 
> I rode at Graves Mt with Sally Augier on her neat mare, Lella.
> This mare has a great walk that CTR folks love, fast and steady!
> Fellow ridecamper Susie Wimberly joined us as we rode a nice
> piece of the CTR trail and enjoyed the beautiful fall scenery.
> 
> Carol Gibson, a friend in Clark County, threw a huge halloween
> party in her "barn" where I met other Virginia horse folks. The
> loft in this ~50x110 feet historic barn, was converted into
> living space, while retaining the stalls downstairs. The "house"
> has two floors with at large cathedral ceiling'd "music room" at
> one end that swallows a concert sized grand piano. In place of
> the loft doors, large picture windows look out over the Virginia
> Blue Ridge Hunt country, and hosted the Good Morning America
> show for one week a while back.... Carol and Bobby deserve the
> great reputation they have as entertainers. The roaring bonfire,
> tables loaded with great food, assortment of spirits, liquid and
> quasi human, musicians playing Virginia style country music, the
> hot tub, the howling and laughter... the joviality continued
> late into the night! Windy Acres...
> 
> Four of their oversized, paneled box stalls are occupied by
> horses, and I have my eye on five of the remaining stalls - one
> for each of my horses, and the fifth? Me, of course!
> Now... It's Saturday night on the flight home. I'm surrounded by
> great memories, real estate books, lot maps and farm
> descriptions.
> 
> Am I going "home" to California? Or returning there to live a
> while longer? How hard is it to be bi-coastal?!!! Tom Sites
> talked about forming a nation based on spirit vs location...
> what he calls his "state of mind"... to be with my true
> countryman, I suspect I'll have to wander the country, going
> from ride to ride.... About those health certificates...   ;^)
> 
> I'm a Virginian... It took a long ride on a good horse over
> autumn Shenandoah trails, and the camaraderie of *many*
> wonderful Virginians, to remind me of that.
> 
>    Cheers!  Linda
> 
> P.S.  I *also* have extra horses and need help exercising them.
> I don't pay close attention to the list, so if you are planning
> a trip west, hang onto my name and addresses!
> 
> P.P.S  If you are from Virginia and hear of any good properties,
> I'm buying something with my Dad even if I stay here a while
> longer, and welcome any advice.