2023 WEISER RIVER TRAIL HALLOWEEN

This year it's at Weiser, Idaho!

Weiser River Trail!

November 1 2022
by Marlene Moss

Wow, Owyhee Halloween was fabulous! 3 days of great October weather (chilly starts, but awesome for this late in the year, some breezes, but no howling wind). Stace took Hank and I took Csavannah and Merlin. Since Lava Cast was cancelled due to smoke, I still needed to get Miss C to a 50 after she was off for 9 months with a hoof balance issue and then a suspensory pull and I really wanted Merlin to do another LD.

Csavannah was awesome on her first day 50. She led Hank for a while, until Stace and Hank were totally settled and then they traded back and forth for the rest of the ride. They both chowed at the out check (always a worry for Csavannah) and trotted steadily with the occasional nice canter back to camp. Hank finished so strong, he was ready to go day 2 with Merlin.

We started last as Merlin was a little too interested in the line of riders visible for the first 1/2 mile. He has dumped me a couple times but never takes another step - I was NOT certain that would be the case if I went off at the start of this ride! We were riding bitless as that's worked fine for him, but I wondered if bit training might be in the future.

We had to put Merlin in front because he was on top of Hank. So we got to see all the things! Mostly veers and stops, so not bad. Once other riders were disappeared we put Hank in front and both horses traded the lead to work through scary colors of dirt and soft spots and whoop-de-doos.

I tightened Merlin's girth and shortly after we hit a combination of slowing for Hank, a soft spot, and my weight going forward and Merlin just let out a yahoo buck (he doesn't like my weight too forward which is why we really haven't learned to canter yet). I went off in the softest dirt so no problem and he'd stopped dead so I didn't even lose the reins.

We were a little careful on the downhills with uneven footing but no further balance issues.

Both horses did nothing but eat at the hold. Merlin is doing absolutely everything right to show he loves this sport and is going to be awesome. We finished with 2 people behind us, one on a horse's first ride.

It was a good, but technical 30 miles. Merlin pulsed down immediately and his legs stayed clean although I iced later. I knew he felt strong enough to go a second day, but I still had all those steps with uneven landing in the back of my mind. We started day 3 with lots of Halloween costumes. Stace and I inherited Mike Cobbley's costumes since he went home. We got our pics but didn't ride with them since the chocolate chip cookie was a bit wide to position hands well! Melissa Stephenson and David Laws definitely had the best couples costume - a pair of outlaws whooping and hollering out of camp! Debbie Grose had the best individual costume - her horse had a dragon scale tail and wings, just gorgeous!

We stayed away from the Outlaw's wild start and then just ambled out of camp with the most perfect start for Hank and Merlin. Exactly what I want him to do. We started trotting and went past all the things that scared him the day before, including the photographer. He learns so fast!

About 2-3 miles out, Merlin stumbled in a soft spot. I didn't feel like he was 100% but it was hard to tell since we were steering around other soft spots and still reacting minorly to some small scary things. By 4 miles out, he did 5 steps in a row that weren't perfect so I decided to pull. I figured 30 miles the day before on a horse not legged up completely was enough. If I kept going it would be more than a tiny issue and I got exactly the result I wanted after hiking back, the vet didn't see anything wrong.

So yay for Merlin and all the new experiences - being left alone in camp, an out check, a ride in the desert where he could see for miles, 30 miles - his longest ride, being at the vet without a buddy, leading back alone, and white dirt, yellow dirt, blackened bushes, whoop-de-doos (he actually loved those!) and even riding with Hank was new.

Plus Hank got to go do the ride he and Stace needed and they trotted and cantered with Hank making all the right decisions for the footing and he finished 105 miles strong!

Thank you so much to Regina Rose, vets, volunteers, and everyone else in ride camp that made this such an amazing experience!

Photos: Top Steve Bradley, milk n cookies Connie Holloway, bottom Marlene Moss

Come join us for the last ride of the Northwest season on October 28-9!
We WILL have a Halloween Costume Contest!

Ride Manager: Regina Rose: 208 250 8662, rrose4u2002@yahoo.com

We'll have an moderate trail, using 2 track, and cow trails, decent footing. Water at the right places. Vet checks in camp.

Registration and vetting will start at 2 PM Friday afternoon. We'll have a ride meeting and snacks Friday evening to describe the trails, vetting, etc. Head Vet: Jessica Heinricks

If coming before Friday- call or email me as gate is locked before then.

Directions to newish ride camp:
From I-84 West (Oregon/Washington) Take Exit 35, south onto Nampa Blvd. (towards Nampa). Left on 3rd St, follow signs to Hwy 45 towards Murphy and Silver City. Right onto Hwy 45 (12th) to Dans Ferry (gas) and Snake River bridge Go left on Hwy 78 just after crossing Snake River. Stay on Hwy 78 , Go past Murphy towards GrandView, Turn Left between Mile marker 46 and 47 at Green marker 19661 and barn.

From I-84 East (Boise, Mountain Home) take Idaho Center exit (exit 38), left off ramp, left at traffic light on Flamingo Rd (towards shopping center) and then take Right onto Happy Valley Rd. Follow Happy Valley several miles, take right on Bowmont Rd, then left onto Hwy 45. Continue south to Snake River (see above)OR Take the Simco Rd exit off of I-84. Go south on Simco Rd until you get to the Mountain Home highway. Turn right onto highway. Follow to Grandview. Turn right past Grandview onto Hwy 78. Turn Right just past mile marker 47 at the barn on your Right and Green house marker 19661.

From I-84 East (East Idaho,Utah/Wyoming) Take Exit 112 at Hammett. Follow signs to Hwy 78 West, towards Bruneau and Grandview. Continue west on 78 past Bruneau and Grandview (approx 45 miles), turn Right just past mile marker 47 at Barn and Green house marker 19661.

20,000 Mile-stone for the Northwest Region’s Karen Steenhof