ridecamp@endurance.net: Re: Oak Springs: The Good, Bad, & the Wet

Re: Oak Springs: The Good, Bad, & the Wet

Becky Hackworth (bechack@flash.net)
Tue, 16 Dec 1997 22:04:45 -0800

Heather and I decided to try our luck at Oak Springs. We set out in the
morning, horses strong. For a while, it was fun riding in the rain. Then
we got soaked thru and thru. Then it started to blow, and blow hard. The
horses were going fine. We were ill preparred to ride in that much rain.
Our fault. Not ride management's. Have already made some alterations in
the rain gear and my x-mas list!

By the time we got to Vet # 1, we were squishingly soaked and freezing.
Heather was crying she was so cold. ( She is only 11 ) but she toughed it
out, and I had her laughing by the time we got to the Vet check. We had
already decided to pull if there was a trailer ready to take us in. I am so
proud of her. Still as miserable as she was, she took care of her horse
first. Veted through just fine, butt rug on, and shivvered shile waiting
for the driver to get the rig turned around.

Since our horses are used to our stock trailer, they were not excited about
getting into the little 2 horse. There was another rig, another stock
trailer, and we suggested we try that if it wasn't an inconvenience to RM.
No, they said, and promptly turnned that rig around. As it was, there was
another horse pulled, so we thru him in too. Worked out well in the end.
Sure glad that rig was there.

Got back to camp, changed into dry clothes, the ones I had planned to change
into at the lunch break, fired off the newly fixed heater in the camper
(thank goodness), and after finally warming up went out and about to wait
for the finishers. We beat them all back to camp! We got to see everyone
come in, and cheered them all for braving the elements.
Boy did I scope out the rain gear that seemed to be working!

I worked the finish line a little, made Lynne's ember her first "beet pulp",
loaned out a homemade polar fleece earwarmer to a rider going back out at
lunch. Tried to make it a positive experience. Everyone seemed to have a
good time, and had a lot to talk about, namely, the weather! Usually around
here, it's how hot it is!

Now this is for Myque...I would like to donate Katie Hackworth's entry. She
didn't come with Heather and I this ride. I could not imagine being that
much in the hole. My one entry is not going to make or break me, but maybe
it will help. Also, I guess it's my way of saying...You did a great job,
please do it again. I don't want to loose any more So Cal rides.

Becky Hackworth
Alpine, CA

Thanks for all of your hard work, and all of the great volunteers!

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