getting there and back

[cberto@juno.com]

Marilyn, about driving to rides:  The longest haul I've made so far was
13 hours from eastern NV to the SF Bay Area, coming home from a 5-day
Pony Express series.  My husband and I traded off every hour or so.  YES,
we unload the horse every 2-3  hours.  Some roadside rests have wonderful
amenities (and I clean up every scrap of manure/hay that falls out on the
pavement, too many watching eyes!)    He gets  the head and neck down,
snorts/blows,  P's,  grazes.  I walk him doing circles and eights both
ways to flex him, offer water, etc, for about 20-30 minutes.  I  offer a
treat when he hops back in the trailer.  I always keep a sheet on, with
added fuzzy plush over his hindquarters to keep the wind from hitting
those big rump muscles.  I   don't wrap legs.  My horse plants his feet
and apparently never moves for the duration.
    By myself,  I will drive up to about 8 hours in one day before
splitting and making an overnight camp out of it.  If I have to haul 2
days, it had better be a multi-day ride or else <G> to make it worth the
journey! 
   If the ride is within 2 or 3 hours of home I will trailer home after
dinner/awards (LOVE the RM's who provide a good meal for tired riders!). 
 My non-horsey husband-with-pacemaker is home taking care of house and
other animals and we worry about each other.   If I'm farther away I stay
overnight and get an early start the next a.m.  Everything else being
equal and horse is healthy, it's up to the individual, period, when they
want to go home.  Cheers (;-), Connie B  (Calif)

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