Today is the last full day here in South Dakota and tomorrow we head towards home. Two of the riders needed to go home today. Monday was a work day for one of them, and they wanted to travel on Saturday so as to have time to relax on Sunday. They left at 9:30 after breaking camp, packing everything back into their trailer, and cleaning horse lots. Right after they left, it started to rain. We were very lucky all week, with beautiful 80’s and sun. The shower lasted about an hour, and kept the morning cooler than what the rest of the week had been.
It was nice to see a rainbow after the shower.
My other 2 friends took the time to rest, and I spent the morning reading more the Centered Riding 2 book again. We were thinking we should take a short, 1 or 2 hour, ride, just to stretch the horse’s legs out after the harder ride to Harney Peak yesterday. But they both were feeling a little stiff and sore in their backs, and needed some extra rest time in the morning. At noon, we ate lunch, and just relaxed. My 2 friends continued to rest their weary muscles, and I read the Centered Riding 2 book, underlining areas that I wanted to make sure to teach about.
We planned on a 3 pm ride. But we needed to go back to town for last minute souvenirs. We did stop along the way, and pick up these massive pine roots. I just know my husband is going to say, “what is that for?” He isn’t in to “natural decorations”. LOL
When we got back, the day had gone from morning to 5 pm, and the desire to ride one last time was fading fast. We enjoyed some wine and wine coolers around the last campfire.
And we rekindled friendship as well. Maybe it was a good think that I stayed!
Sunday morning, a small doe was in the empty corral. I'm sure she enjoyed whatever grain was left.
we broke camp and packed up. We wanted to leave at 9 and got on the road at 9:30. Not bad, considering my monster of a horse had a loading issue, after I spent 3 weeks, off and on, loading her. I guess she forgot what we worked on at home! She loading within 5 or 10 minutes, but only after evading the entrance a few times and stepping on my one foot one time. She thinks the can walk sideways into me. She had some major training time coming at home. The other trailer needed hitched, and coolers were packed.
After loading, we headed down the road. A small group of buffalo were on the side of the road, immediately before we left the Black Elk Wilderness area,
as if to tell us good bye.
I have mangers and I fed my horse 2 large flakes of hay and some grain in the trailer. An hour down the road we stopped for gas. When I checked on her, she had eaten everything, AND she tore ½ of the stall divider bumper pad off the stall divider. It was the back half. How did she do that? And she had a long scratch down the INSIDE of her front leg closest to the divider that she messed up. Did she get her leg caught down inside the bumper pad? Was she acting up and stepped down onto herself with her other front leg? I really don’t know. I just kept feeding her every time we stopped and tried not to leave her run out of hay. Mares! I usually get along with them, but this one is acting like a bully 4 year old gelding! Once again, I’m thinking she needs some of this impatience and anxiety worked out of her when I get her home!
Our trip home was a little shorter, as we planned on stopping at Halsey National Park in Nebraska to ride for 2 days.
That may be a little hard for me to do as I only have hay for 1 ½ days. I better graze her some to stretch my hay.
Originally, we planned on being at Ft Rob, Nebraska from Sunday to Wed morning, but funds were getting low. We thought it was better to head closer to home.
We arrived at Halsey campground after about a 6 ½ hour trip. We put the horses in the pens, hay and watered them and parked a few feet away in the campsite. Since this is Sunday night, there is no one else here. Camp is so quiet. After a quick supper, we got the horses out on lunge lines and left them graze. And we watered them from the large tank that is powered by a windmill. They should sleep good tonight.
I knew we will. My friends went into their trailer about 9 and I’m heading to bed by 10, which is early for me. I’m ready for an 8 hour night of sleep. Being in the mountains, a few long rides, higher altitudes, and dealing with horses are wearing me out!
Pleasant dreams…
Good bye, South Dakota.
.JPG)
No comments:
Post a Comment