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Horse Time in Cold Weather
It’s this time of year that I am
both thankful for round bales and sorry they exist. Thankful, as it keeps us
from trudging out in the cold to feed, but sorry for the same reason. Also true
for the automatic waterer. That first year we had our horses, we had neither the
round bales nor a heated tank. We would crowd the horses into a lean-to attached
to the garage with their buckets of water and bales of hay. And feel the warmth
their bodies provided while housed tightly in this small makeshift stable. But
relief from the cold winter, none the less. Baby was GinnyBelle’s age then. Blue
had just joined our family. Also Ginger and the old mare, Peggy were crowded in
that building.
GinnyBelle, our palomino filly, (I should say a weanling, but she is not weaned
yet), has a curly winter coat. Beautiful colored except for the splattered
manure stains she gets from laying in the straw in the barn! The bays and blacks
show rich colors this time of year. I raise their manes and press my face to
their neck to feel the warmth; savor the smell. It’s the love/hate part of
winter in Nebraska.
The horses aren’t totally ignored out there. Even with the round bales, John’s
daily ritual includes dropping some alfalfa down from the hay loft. I’ve only
been to the barn once this week. The daylight is about gone by the time I get
home from work & he has already taken care of chores. Come next week, I’ll start
to gain a few precious minutes of daylight every day. It always feels like the
downhill slide of winter, even though it is just beginning.
On the Horsetales message board, many were sharing memories of Christmas’ past
and hoping to feel the true meaning of the season this coming holiday, beyond
the presents and the tree. Once friend captured it best & I’ll share it with
you:
“I like to go out to feed the horses this time of year; especially when it’s a
quiet, cold, calm night. You hear the horses chewing their hay, you look at the
stars above, and you almost feel like you are in a stable 2000 years ago.....
Wow, no tree compares to that....”
Hunker down, keep warm & enjoy the holidays with your family, friends and
creatures. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! ~Tammy 12/17/05
The New Look Archived 12/17/05
The times they are a changin'! At
least for Horsetrailriders. Judging by the white out conditions outside, the
recent snowfall and sub zero temperatures; the winter blues will start setting
in and I do my best work on Horsetrailriders when I can't be outside enjoying my
horses! So stay tuned. It will take a while for the transformation to take
place, but I'm excited to share it with you.
What a great riding year! Although a
challenging beginning to the year, its conclusion has been great! We enjoyed a
lot of fall rides in what started out unseasonably warm weather. Each weekend
seeing the transformation of the trails as the leaves fell under foot. Windy,
our young filly, had just learned to sit down on her hind end going down steep
hills but the leaves made her apprehensive once again. I don't know about you,
but I love being on the young horses as they learn to maneuver the trails. Now
don't get me wrong, there are some maneuvers of a young horse I can do without,
but feeling them grow up under the saddle is an awesome experience. With Windy,
it is even more special since she was foaled at our place.
Speaking of young horses, we have a
2 year old gelding, Black, who we had hoped to start this coming spring. But
Black started showing some aggression toward the kids, would no longer tolerate
the farrier and on occasion, turned his hind end in our direction. We've had him
since he was a weanling & concluded he was just a spoiled brat. I was thrilled
when Colleen Hamer was able to fit him in her busy training schedule & start him
for us. What a transformation! After several weeks with Colleen, it was like
Black graduated from military school or brat camp! He came home a well
disciplined colt! I'm frustrated the winter hit so soon before we had more time
on him.
Many of the local stables offer
indoor riding. Check in your area to see if there is one near you! Of course
we'll have to chip the ice out of the hooves and pull out the cold trailer to
get there, but at least its an option! Keep warm & stay tuned. Times they are a
changin'. -- Tammy 120505
Families Archived 12/7/05
When John brought me to his home to meet his parents for the first time some 17
years ago, the first words out of his dad’s mouth were, “Another Tammy!” Being
the new girlfriend, I thought to myself, “Great, his last girlfriend was named
Tammy, too!” It had to be bad karma. But I soon learned that it wasn’t a
girlfriend he was referring to, but John’s brother’s wife is also named Tammy.
Thus when I married John, I became Tammy Vasa the Second.
I’ve mentioned before that John’s
nine siblings have little or no interest in horses. John’s brother will
occasionally ride and is a good rider, but doesn’t take the time very often. At
holidays, we’ll get the obligatory “so how many horses do you have now?”
question. And my sister-in-law, Tammy, always mentions that she still gets
messages on her answering machine from horse people wanting to talk to me. (Note
to readers: my husband is John, not Dan!)
My sister’s family came out for a pre-holiday visit. She was thrilled when we
bought our first horse years ago. Her excitement waned after she fell off Ginger
and broke her wrist. She won’t ride anymore, but I have led her around on Blue.
I was touched when she stroked his face and told him that if she would ride
again, it is he that she dreams of riding. My brother will also ride; his
daughter, Jayden, has "the passion".
We saddled up six horses that weekend and John and I took our nieces and nephew
out for a ride. Yes, I always get nervous being responsible for that many riders
on my horses, but the herd was together, so I felt I had a greater chance of
success. I've concluded that my tough guy nephew, who has participated in state
wrestling every year since he was a freshman, will always be afraid of horses.
He was riding behind his mom the day she got thrown from Ginger. And another
time he fell from an old mare we once had. We put him on Baby, the Belgian cross
– the mellowest horse of the herd. You would have thought (according to him)
that we put him on a bucking bronco. Every step she took, he thought was her
attempt to throw him. It couldn’t have been further from the truth. But as many
of you know, horse fear, reasonable or not, is a true fear. His girlfriend,
riding on Butter, quickly tired of riding next to him and trotted up to ride
with his sister.
After the kids got back, John and my brother in law rode out once more. My
sister and I were putting up tack when she said, “Uh, oh. John’s in trouble”. I
look up to see him hanging on the side of a very startled colt. Then the
unplanned dismount. The colt stopped, but John stayed down. So I got on Butter
to ride down to see what hurt. Seemed the colt refused a hill & backed into the
electric fence. The fence came down around the colt's feet & he spun; John’s
saddle slipped, & there was no chance for recovery. I unsaddled the colt &
checked him for injury. Just scared, but fine. My niece followed me down to the
field & led the colt home. Oh, and John? He took the brunt of the fall on his
shoulder. The x-rays confirmed nothing is broken. His shoulder and his pride are
badly bruised!
I love to share my horses with my extended family, but I’m afraid I’ll never be
able to make riders out of them, although I am still holding out hope for a few
of my nieces. But it is worth saddling six horses and putting a few more moments
in the memory bank. It’ll make good stories for holidays to come…. ”Remember
when Aunt Ann got bucked off Ginger?” “Remember when Uncle John rode that colt
through the electric fence?” … “Remember when Aunt Tammy put me on that crazy
horse Baby!”
Gray November Archived 11/25/05
It's November. Gray November. My least favorite month of the year. I know there
are colder months ahead, but those cold months lead into the spring. November
leads into the winter. So for that reason alone, it gets blackballed! Although
the sun is shining today – and from what I know, may be shining all week – I’ll
warn you now, the gray days are coming.
November for me is also the unofficial end to the riding season. There will
still be some nice days here and there to sneak out to the trails, but now we
are dodging weather and hunting seasons. The last few weekends have been jam
packed with riding adventures as they could have been “the last good weekend!” I
promised my husband there will be no riding plans this weekend so we could get
some of the chores done that have been on his list – not horse related. (Note
that I said “his list”).
You may recall the goal I shared with you this past spring. I wanted to log
three hundred hours of riding in 2005. In 2004, I logged 238 hours, so 300
didn’t seem to be too much of a stretch. With the introduction of the Platte
River Riders, I was sure to get riding time in every week, as well as weekends.
But an injury sidelined me for about 6 weeks and then my job contributed to my
continued lack of participation in the Wednesday ride. I am still hoping to hit
50% of my goal in the remaining 2 months of the year. I’ll keep you posted!
This past Sunday, seven volunteers of the Nebraska Horse Trails Committee
completed clearing the remaining 4 miles of the Oak Creek Trail. There is now an
“official” horse trail from Loma to Brainard in Butler County. The NRD will
still need to mow and put up signage, but from our perspective, we are calling
it done! This past spring, volunteers completed the trail from Valparaiso to
Loma. It’s been 4 years in the making. I call this trail “our trail”. It was not
only my introduction to the NHTC and my good friend, Kathy Newberg, it was a
family project. Come and ride our trail!
Plans are coming together for Nebraska Horse Expo! Be sure to visit the Nebraska
Horse Council website for details on Expo 2006. Most of the committee for Expo,
including myself, are new this year! So don’t expect the “same ol, same ol”. We
are hoping to fill the days with some great information and presentations!
During the gray November days, I hope to get back to updating my website. Its
time for some fresh information. If you have Horse Tales to share or pictures
from your travels, send them my way! Today, on this sunny November day, my boys
and I are saddling up and heading to “our trail”. We are going to try our luck
at Geo Caching! Stay tuned! - Tammy 110105
Making more memories.... Archived Nov. 1, 2004
I was traveling west this week and passed through Denver. I got my first glimpse
of snow for this fall. Reminded me of what will soon be coming our way and makes
me even more determined to get out and ride and enjoy this autumn weather while
it's here!
We went camping this past weekend at Camp Moses Merrill. Although the horse
camping area is small, there is electrical hookups that afforded us the luxury
of plugging in the trailer and having heat! Some friends camped with John, the
boys and I. Others joined us for day rides.
From Friday until Sunday, the leaves on the trees changed before our eyes. We
huddled around the fire for warmth in the cool evening. I watched from the
trailer window as John started a fire to cook breakfast that crisp morning: I
could see his breath. The horses' coats shined with their new winter growth. It
was sweatshirt weather during the day with jackets in our saddlebags. Riding
gloves felt warm when trotting through the trees.
It was one of those weekends that I can look back upon and smile. We were making
memories. It was perfect. The horses were relaxed and well mannered for the most
part. The company was great. Lots of laughter and good stories. And once again I
was in awe at the glimpse of beautiful landscape that Nebraska offers that may
be overlooked by those who never get outside their homes or out of the city.
Horses show us a beauty from the inside of our world out.
I've been disappointed over the years with my boys' lack of enthusiasm for trail
riding. My youngest son was just three, the older boy was 6 when we bought our
first horses. What I yearned for as a child has become ordinary for them. As
much as I wanted horses to be a family activity that we all loved equally, I had
pretty much given up on that dream. Both boys ride pretty well, but bore easily
on the trails.
Besides good friends, beautiful scenery and awesome horses, this past weekend
held another surprise for me. Something clicked with these boys of mine. They
wanted to ride. Long after our friends packed up and left, my little family
galloped along the flat paths, bush whacked through low trees, raced along the
dry creek beds and climbed hills and looked back in wonder at where we had been.
I heard laughter and saw smiles. And when it was time to leave, they resisted!
They wanted one more ride.
Was it the weather? The horses? What changed? Is it for real or was it a just a
small gift from God to top off what was already a close to perfect day? Only
time will tell. But what a remarkable feeling it was to share my passion with my
children and see it reflected back on their faces. It was truly a perfect
weekend. I wish for you such happy trails! -- Tammy
7th Annual Cowgirl Weekend. Archived 10/12/05
Twenty-one women and 23 horses pulled into Brush Creek Ranch near Atkinson for
what turned out to be another great weekend with friends and our horses. As you
may recall, Cowgirl Weekend, hosted by my friends Kathy Newberg & Jamie Paquin,
is held annually at a different location. The original idea of Cowgirl Weekend
was to help women learn to drive their own rig, care for their own horse and
build up their camping and trail riding skills. Although still the general idea,
most of the cowgirls on our trip can do all that … it is now really our holiday
to share with friends.
We talked about “what happens at Cowgirl Weekend stays at Cowgirl Weekend”. But
fortunately, there are not too many of the moments we don’t want to share.
Friday, we herded cattle. Our goal was to move 803 Angus from one pasture to
another. Many of the horses on our ride were never exposed to cattle before. But
they all played the game and we had a ball! All 703 cows were moved
successfully. The other 100 head hid. That’s right. They hid. You just can’t
miss 100 cows! We were as surprised as our ranch boss to see the other 100 head
coming over the hill behind us!
It was an education for all of us. I took two horses. My old faithful, Blue, who
loves to herd cattle. And my
young filly, Windy, who has an aversion to water crossings. I’m happy to report
she successfully crossed the creek many times before she decided she could
probably do it easier without me. I mentioned to the girls that it was probably
my scariest moment ever on horseback. Why? Because I stayed on! Usually I am
thrown in a matter of moments. Felt kind of like the Ever Ready Bunny… it kept
going and going and going…
Only one cowgirl hit the ground! I still say she planned it so she could have an
epilogue to her recent Stable Talk public service brief! You recall Mary Hanson,
trail rider and helmet advocate? She took the first and only spill. Her saddle
started to slip and before she could right herself, her horse stepped off & the
law of physics created no possible recovery! We heard her head hit the ground.
But her helmet was securely in place. She will soon be sporting a new helmet and
a T-shirt which says “I told you so!” I did hear a few cowgirls say they would
be buying helmets now! We dubbed her “dismount” the Hail Mary fall from grace!”
Saturday night boasted the pajama
party on horseback! No, we weren't drinking! The full moon and beautiful weather
invited some of us to head down the road by the light of the moon. See guys what
you are missing?
The only negative to Cowgirl Weekend is that it is one of the last rides of the
season. We always talk about having a spring weekend, but know that having it
too often will make it ordinary. Now it is special. And as long as I am able, I
hope to meet my friends, some who I only see once a year, every September for
another Cowgirl Weekend! Happy trails, Girlfriends! -- Tammy
Horseless Vacation Archived
9/6/05
We just returned from the first “real” vacation we have taken in a long time.
When I say “real”, that isn’t necessarily how I feel, but seen by others. Our
horse vacations just don’t seem to count with my non-horse friends… even my
kids. My husband’s “Nana” is soon turning 102 years old, so we thought maybe
this was the year to visit her. We could wait until she is 103, we have waited
this long, but some might say we’d be pushing it a bit.
It was as hard getting the farm ready for us to leave as it was packing for five
people for 6 days. We moved all the horses up to the corrals near the barn and
put in fresh round bales. The tank has an automatic water contraption on it, but
since it isn’t an automatic system, it could be bumped or pulled out. So we
engaged the neighbors to check it daily. Since Windy is new to the herd, we
opened the barn up to both corrals so she couldn’t get cornered by the other
mares.
Most of our vacation was spent in the Boston area. We went on a whale watch and
toured old Boston. My boys saw the ocean for the first time and I think they
truly would have been happy just playing in the waves for hours every day.
Boston is a concrete jungle. I tried to imagine what it would be like to live
there. I couldn’t imagine wanting to. I tried to imagine what it was about the
traffic, smog, trash and construction that appealed to the locals. That made
them want to call Boston, or the countless suburbs, their home. To each their
own, I guess.
The last night we were there, I had a dream that the horses got out and they
were running through the streets of a city; presumably Boston. I caught
GinnyBelle and Black, but Blue and Baby were still running up one lane of
traffic and over an island and down another. I woke up before they were caught.
But at home they were safe.
With the “real” vacation behind us, I look forward to loading up my horses and
camping with friends. Relaxing, breathing, living. Give me land, lots of
land....~Tammy
As written by Bing Crosby....
Oh, give me land, lots of land under starry skies above,
Don't fence me in.
Let me ride through the wide open country that I love,
Don't fence me in.
A Lesson Learned One Morning - Archived 7/26/05
At 4:00 AM this morning, our phone
starts ringing. I probably heard it on the second ring and by the time the
answering machine picked it up, I registered what time it was. I’m from the era
that bad news comes after midnight, so mentally checked off that in my mind that
yes, the boys and John are safely in the house. The phone started ringing again.
I’m not sure when we stopped having a phone in our room. Something about damp
walls and the wiring getting wet… but none the less, since the caller is
persistent, I sprint to the kitchen.
It’s the sheriff.
"Vasas?" he says.
I murmur "Yes".
"Do you have horses"?
[Crap! or similar word] "Yes", I say sheeply.
"There is a report that there are horses out on the highway. At least two brown
ones on the north side of the highway. I’m sending a deputy over to watch for
traffic." (Traffic! Thank God it is 4:00 AM).
I rush back to wake John, who
incidentally went to bed with ice packs on his sore back, and told him the news.
I can’t recall exactly what he called the horses at the time, but it wasn’t
good. It’s 4:00 AM – did I mention that? So I sprint to the barn (a lot of
sprinting on my sore ankle!) and get a bucket of grain and a couple of lead
ropes. John takes the car and I get on my newly purchased – just for this
occasion – ATV. And off to the round-up.
Did you know the moon that was so
bright at 11:00 is virtually non-existent at 4:00 AM? John and I drive slowly up
and down the highway. Where is the deputy? We can’t find the horses. I’m
recalling the conversation with the sheriff. I was semi-comatose when I took the
call. Did he say "north" of the highway? Our highway runs north & south… the
sides of our highway are east & west. To be "north" would put them 2 miles away!
I put the ATV in high gear and drive back up to the house. A call to the sheriff
confirms they were "north" of the highway (not good news) and were now heading
south on another highway. Over 3 miles from our place! GinnyBelle must be tired
& scared!
The trailer is still hooked up from
our ride the other night. We jump in the truck. We are going to have to trailer
them home. I am worried about getting GinnyBelle in there. She has never been
trailered yet. We arrive at the scene to find the sheriff and the two brown
horses along the edge of the road. And guess what. They aren’t our horses!!
Now as thrilled as we are that we
have no responsibility and our horses are safe, we can’t just leave this
obviously "uncowboy" cop hanging on the highway with 2 horses. Nor could I do
that to the horses. So we easily trailer one of them. The other one did not.
Another horse neighbor arrives at the scene. They aren't his horses either. But
he fixes a fence to a pasture we all believe they surely must belong in (if not,
they have a new home now). The sheriff will deal with it this morning. We
arrived home after the sun had already come up and were grateful to find our six
horses grazing in the pasture, curious as to why the trailer was moving so
early.
Moral of the story? Check your own
pasture before you run to the rescue! Tammy 071705
A weekend with friends Archived 071605
This past weekend was my family’s first horse camping trip of the season. Thirty
some riders met at Switzer Ranch’s Calamus Outfitters near Burwell for a ride in
the Sandhills. This ride was planned in February and the weekend was finally
here! So seldom do things in which you look so forward to, turn out so well. But
this was one of those times!
Well, it didn’t start out that way.
First, we lost one rider when she fell from a feed sack at TSC and sprained her
ankle the night before the trip. And another got detained by her hay man. But
despite flat tires, black smoke and failed fuel pumps, the rest of the group
arrived safely! 
Bruce Switzer took the group on a 6
hour ride on Saturday. A few comments heard on the trail & about the ride....
“There aren't any cows in here, are there?” said one rider to another. (This
rider believes she was about killed by cows at one time) "The right answer is
'No'. Just say 'No' ". The other rider lied and said “no”.
“Without this group's support, I
wouldn't have done half the things I have so far.”
“Do you remember that scene from The
Man from Snowy River?”
“From my angle, what I saw was like
Julie described, commotion, thundering of hooves, I looked behind me and saw
Nadine's horse galloping toward us…”
“He bailed… he set the mustang
free….”
“The ‘spandex ride’ was certainly an
eye opener Saturday morning”
“The trail boss said he thought my
horse was named Pooper [its Cooper] and I just called him sh*t for short! You
know, I never used to swear until I got horses...”
“For the record, I found out that a
saddle bag is not just a cute, nostalgic item that makes you look like a cowboy.
On a ride like this, it is your lifeline, your sustenance; it is credited for
your survival until you return to civilization.”
“The nice thing about this ride was
that there was so much wide open space in which to escape the annoying
[riders].”
"I might rope a cow....but what
would I do with it if I caught it???”
“Bruce told me that they called him,
and the x-rays didn't show anything broken.”
“What would it take to get a trailer
in here? I’m serious!”
“It was just a great weekend! As
someone said, ‘It was like a family reunion, only more fun’. Let's do it again,
and again, and again.”
Amazing how horses bring people
together. The riders in this group came from all different walks of life, social
circles, riding disciplines and economic backgrounds. Their riding skills were
from novice to advanced. Ages 6 to silver. Many first time campers, some
seasoned pros. For the last 6 months or so, most of the riders in this group
have supported each other & coached each other. We have expressed our fears to
one another and choked on our coffee when laughing so hard! We shared our
grooming secrets and feeding tips & stool samples (our horses, not ours). We
have cheered each other successes and cried at our loses. But this past weekend
was the first time many of us met in person or rode horses as a group. Pretty
cool, huh? Tammy 062905
Sh*t Happens Archived 063005
The countdown begins. It has been 3
½ weeks since the sound of the broken fibula was heard around the world… well,
at least among my friends. Not the bone breaking, per se, but the whining that
resulted as the doctor sentenced me to 6 weeks in a hard cast. I am complying,
only because the good doctor didn’t forbid me to ride this coming weekend. (I
convinced him I wasn’t a barrel racer. Come on, Doc, we just mosey down the
trail!) Well, he didn’t particularly endorse the endeavor, but he did go along
with my request that the cast be no wider than 4 inches, so that it will fit in
a stirrup!
So the trailer is packed & the
horses are shod and I am anxious to have what will be my first horse trail
riding and camp outing of the season! Now some may think I can coast on this
trip. Be waited on hand and foot due to my disability. After all, I do have a
broken ankle. But I live in a house of boys & a man. Sympathy doesn’t come easy
around here. So provided I can saddle my own horse and get on him, looks like I
may be riding by Saturday!
Working in the corporate world, I
have had to take a lot of ribbing about my injury. The most common statement
being "Are you ready to give up those horses yet, Tammy?" I cheerfully remind
some of the concerned citizens of the sprained ankles they had playing
basketball or the blown knees from excessive jogging. Heck, you don’t give up
typing because of carpal tunnel syndrome!
But since my accident, it seems I
have heard from many others who have had horse accidents this year; from
sprained ankles to head lacerations, shoulder injuries and knee surgeries! Are
there always this many accidents or am I just hearing about them more frequently
because of my recent injury?
There are always risks associated
with certain activities. Horses are no exception. They are dangerous. They are
bigger than we are and they are an animal. No matter how safe we think our horse
is and how well we think we know him, there is always an unpredictability we
must recognize and acknowledge. My accident could have been avoided. I ignored a
little voice and have paid the price.
Saddle up, enjoy your horse but be
safe! I hope to meet you on the trail. I’ll be the one sporting a lime green
cast! --Tammy 062205
Big Rides vs. Safe Rides -- Archived 6/22/05
Someone mentioned on Horsetales that
they hoped the Stanton ride was dry. I'd forgotten this weekend was the Stanton
ride. Forgive me if this is a repeat story. But since it is the anniversary of
our only Stanton ride, it is timely.
The year that we went -- 2003 -- ,
we had rain. John, the kids & I convoyed with Mike Ries & Jason. Sandy stayed
home as Trent was sick. (Or her "little voice" of doom was kicked into high
gear.) Mike rode Elvis, Trent on Nevada. If I remember correctly. Friday night
was uneventful.
Saturday, John saddled up Bo, our then 3 year old gelding. He was "coming
along", but very, very green. I rode UR Nice aka "Nick", John's 12 yr. old OTT
Thoroughbred. Well, he'd been OTT for 6 years and I had ridden him at Rock Creek
on our previous outing & was getting along fine with him. I am racking my brain
wondering who the kids rode... and I can' only surmise that it must have been
Blue & Mikey.
The Saturday ride started out okay. The kids seemed to get along well with their
horse. I love to ride thoroughbreds, so I was at the height of my glory. And
then the buckboards past us and Nick went into freak mode. He backed like he was
running the Kentucky Derby backwards. There was no pulling his head in. He was
petrified & was backing away quickly making sure it wasn't following him. We hit
a barbed wire fence, he had blood coming down his butt; we about went over an
embankment... Totally out of control. What was I to do? Switch horses with John.
Take my chances with the colt.
Just when I thought it was safe to continue the ride, the usually mild mannered
Bo must of went into overload at this point. Too many horses, crazy Nick! It
wasn't long before his shenanigans started. He decided to buck. I don't like to
ride a bucking horse. Now I had a dilemma. Ride the backer or the bucker? Going
back to the trailer sounded like the best idea. Nope, had to Cowgirl Up. Switch
with John again.
So I'm back on Nick with the understanding that we stay at the end of the ride.
As long as he sees the buckboards in front of him, I can only hope he stays
under control. And it is working... almost. But you see we weren't quite at the
end of the ride. There were a couple stragglers. And one of those had a hard
time staying on his horse. Yep, he got bucked off. The safety riders call for
the ride to hold up. And what was called in to rescue the injured rider? The
buckboards!
I saw them coming and got the heck out of the way. We hid on the other side of a
hill. Out of sight, out of mind. When the ride started moving again, we had to
move. We safely crossed a creek and were heading up the hill when Nick heard the
buckboards again. By this time, I am beyond mad. (Note to self: think, don't act
when riding a horse). I acted with a swat on his butt with the reins! Now I am
not a swatter. My horses may feel me tap with a crop occasionally, but I don't
normally swat. (Another note to self: If you do want to swat, check where you
are at. If horse is attempting a climb up a hill & is not level, no swatting.)
Nick reared. Do you know how tall a thoroughbred is when standing on his back
feet? Before I had time to measure, he tumbled to the right. Brain says to get
the hell away from his falling body, but body can't move fast enough. He is on
my right leg. He quickly gets up to run that last furlong he has been dying to
run since we started. My darling husband to my rescue? No, he turns into the
track outrider and is off after the lone thoroughbred on a three year old colt!
I look up to find two men, who both look amazingly like Charlie Pride, to my
rescue.
Although my pride wanted to Cowgirl Up, the Charlies told me to remain quiet.
One lady brought me an Advil (God love her). Another a frozen bottle of water.
Where to put it? I hurt from my hip to my ankle. The outrider returned with my
Derby winner after his brief run for the roses and with an audience of 70
people, what could I do? Cowgirl Up!
I rode Nick for about 50 feet because I had to. I couldn't let him know he could
do that to me. He had calmed down. Or was just winded. Or scared of me and the
swatter. But I realized quickly if I needed to control him, I couldn't. My right
leg was too sore. I opted for the colt once again and once again asked John to
switch with me. And the colt knew better than to try another move. That was the
last day Bo grew up and settled into a nice saddle horse.
While riding at the end of the
group, the rain came. Although we had slickers, the boys put them on too late &
were frozen to the bone. I'm groaning, they are moaning. Thinking I am sure that
this is "another one of Mom's trail rides and here we are, wet & cold." No clue
where the Ries boys are. The safety riders gave up on us and passed us by in
favor of reaching the lunch barn a little sooner. We finally made it, eager to
dry off and get something to eat. I heard talk about the "lady who was crushed
by her horse" and my condition was grossly exaggerated. I felt like the dead
girl walking.
Bo and I rode back with "Charlie
Pride Sr.". Nick turned into a freak once again and John took him off by
himself. He probably got swatted some more. I never asked. The boys found the
Ries' and that was the last I saw of them on the ride back. I hear they got in
trouble for wanting to pass the trail boss. But they have good memories of the
ride back which is now probably one of their fondest trail ride memories.
Funny Cide didn't win the Triple Crown that weekend & I didn't complete the
Stanton ride. John & Mike took the younger boys on the ride the 2nd day. McCain
and I visited the ER at Norfolk to make sure nothing was broken. Nothing was.
Just bruised. I couldn't ride for a few weeks. Had to let the body heal.
Nick went on to find another home. Last I heard, he and his new owner go hunting
squirrels & he has taken nicely to having a gun fired from his back. Bo is now
with Marge of Tack N Togs. Mikey belongs to 10 year old Katie. Blue, as you
know, is still with us and in a round about way the cause of my June 2005 injury
which has once again sidelined me from riding.
I hope the hills of Stanton were good to you riders and it found you warm, dry &
safe. I'm coming back someday! Watch out! -Tammy 060405
Special Note: I don't want to lend myself to gossip. That's not what this
web site is all about. But it is about trail riding and I would be derelict in
my duties as host, not to mention this. Plus, the information comes from someone
in authority in Omaha, so I am not going to pass it off as gossip.
Seems there was a fence put up at
Cunningham Lake to divert horse traffic to another trail to avoid the archery
range for our safety. This fence has been "cut by horse people". When asked how
they knew it was horse people, this person said "because they admitted it!"
Here are my thoughts: Trail riders
do not do things like that! And if they did, they are not your typical trial
rider. The trail riders I know appreciate the few trails that we have. It is our
privilege to ride them, not our right, and we respect that. They are ours to
lose. Let's protect our privilege and respect the land keepers who allow us that
privilege. If the wire was cut by a horse trail rider, shame on you!
Gone & Done It Archived 6-4-05
Just when the sun is starting to set later in the day… Just when the days are
getting warmer… Just when the horses are starting to come out of their winter
feistiness… Just as I am planning the holiday weekend.... It happens. And I’m
putting that nicely. Think bumper sticker… think Forrest Gump. That’s what
happens.
This past Sunday we were invited to
ride with friends at the “Flea Market” near Walthill. As I am riding these
beautiful trails, in my mind I am already promoting this area for an installment
of Stable Talk. Plenty of shade, wildlife. The Missouri River. Did I mention I
had been having blonde moments all morning…?
The first being that I cinched Blue
tight on the first pass. Blue doesn’t like that. He prefers a tug, then a rest
and then a final tug before riding. I’d forgotten this preference & did the full
tug. He promptly sat back on the rope, snapping it. It happens. I got the last
laugh when the break made him fall to his butt. I loosened the cinch on him and
started over. I had forgotten my fly spray and borrowed some from a friend. Blue
does not like anything new and this dispenser was different than what we use, so
I pulled him from the trailer to spray him. He was concerned about it, but
conceded.
 With
fly spray applied, we were ready to go. When I got into the saddle, I couldn’t
get my foot in my right stirrup. I finally reached down to put my foot in it.
What I found was a smashed – and I mean flattened – aluminum endurance stirrup
hanging on my saddle. Evidently when Blue sat down on the rope, he smashed my
stirrup getting up. So after a quick stirrup change, we were finally ready to
ride.
Now if you have seen Blue this year, he has packed on a few pounds, having had
little riding last year. As I was making my way down the trail, my saddle kept
slipping. Being that he is a wide body on a medium tree, it does slip, but boy,
was it getting annoying. I finally raised up the fender to try to tighten it
when I realized I had never made the final tug. My saddle was literally sitting
on him without being cinched. It happens. But I dodged that bullet.
After riding about 8 miles in the
morning, we took a break for lunch. Saddling for the afternoon ride was when
“it” really happened. The final “it”. Ginger & Blue were standing side by side,
Ginger to Blue’s left. I saddled Blue, only gave the partial tug on the cinch.
But didn’t take him off the trailer when I got out the scary fly spray. In my
next blonde moment, I started to spray him. He heard the pump and once again, in
a panic, sat back on his rope.
This is what I believe happened
next, although witnesses may know better. When he sat back on his rope, he fell
toward me and Ginger. In my scramble, I ended up in front of Ginger. She also
startled at Big Blue pushing toward her & sat back on her rope. When she reached
the end and came back, her right hoof went down my back and her left hoof onto
my left ankle.
Five years ago I broke this same
ankle and it hurt like a son of a …, well, you know. I am screaming at John to
get my boot off. In the back ground I hear people telling me not to move, that
my back could be injured. Her hoof to the back was superficial. From their
viewpoint, it looked much worst than it was. It was the ankle. As soon as John
gets my boot off, the lightheadedness sets it. I’m needing smelling salts and
none of us super campers have this in the first aid kits. (What first aid kits?)
When I mention ice and an SMB medicine boot in my tack room, Colleen sets into
action. Amazing what a little improvising can do – add vet wrap, and walla…
instant splint!
After chasing some Advil with Mike’s
Hard Lemonade, I convinced the group to take the afternoon ride while I rest.
And being such good friends, they did. The doctor confirmed the next day what I
already suspected. The fibula was broken. He did not find humor in my request
for him to form the cast into a cowboy boot, nor did he think my goal of riding
in four weeks was realistic. We are bargaining for six weeks. My friend Sandy
has suggested I collect vet wrap in various colors to vary the color of my cast.
Sounds like an entertaining option. If I wrap it to match my mood, it will
remain black. It happens.
Mothers Day Archived 5-10-05
Today is Mother’s Day. From my perspective, I have successfully managed to turn
the entire one day holiday into a weekend for mothers and for me!
Starting with the Friday Before Mother’s Day Trail Ride – held obviously, the
Friday before Mother’s Day. The ride was a huge success with 91 riders! Probably
close to 80 women! (My husband and a few good men rode safety). There were
riders from as far away as Kearney, Hastings, Holstein, Wayne, Wakefield and
Waterloo. There were riders who live right down the road in Dwight, Yutan and
Wahoo. There were women I knew and women I just met. Repeat riders from last
year & first timers! I think the oldest horse was an appaloosa that was over 30
years old! I appreciate you all coming to my ride and making it a success! Every
year I learn from it and make subtle changes. This year was no exception. Next
years ride will be better than ever!
The celebration continued today. John & my sons, McCain & Case, went to Red
Cedar lake for a couple hour ride. Being that my oldest son “offered it up” and
rode with me was the best gift I could have had! He rides so seldom but got
along famously today with my appaloosa, Joe. Case rode Blue and this may be the
year he and Blue mesh. They had so much fun! John rode his mare & I took our 3
year old gelding, Gunner. This lake is pretty secluded, so we even took Jo-Jo,
our dog.
Having just lost my mom recently, I looked forward to the day (weekend) with
some apprehension. It was the first of many holidays without Mom but being with
friends on Friday made it bittersweet. But as far as a day with my husband and
my own kids, it just couldn’t get any better! What a treat – what a Mother’s
Day! Thanks, Boys! Love, Mom 050805
Horses, Boys & Motors Archived 5-8-05
The other day while in Tack N Togs,
a lady came in to consign some items. Seems she was getting out of the horse
business. The horse was her daughter’s idea and for whatever reason, be it
school, friends – or most likely boys – the daughter had lost interest. Too
expensive of items to keep if no one used them anymore. I guess the horse would
be, too.
I spend a lot of time whining that
my boys don’t have an interest in horses. When we brought home the first two
horses 5 years ago, we were hoping they would. But the newness soon wore off.
Boys find more interest it seems in things that have motors. At Saturday’s game
day, Case participated in all the games. Maybe when doing speed events, it seems
that horses have more of a “motor” than when we are trail riding.
We had our own little rodeo here
today. The boys & Colton Vossler were tooling around our farm on the ATV & the
dirt bike. Seems Case got a little too close to the pond & bailed off. The ATV
kept going – yep, straight into the pond. They sent Colton to come get me.
“The Dad” wasn’t home and it was pretty important to the boys that it be pulled
out of the pond before he got home. Colton, using his roping skills, lassoed the
wheels of the ATV. We tried to pull it out, but broke the rope. We finally
succeeded with a chain and the tractor.
As a parent, your gut tells you when
to scold and when to be thankful. I threw a bigger fit today because the boys
left the door open and the cats got in than I did over this pond fiasco. I am
thankful all that went in the pond was the ATV. It can be fixed.
I imagine if my love of horses
wasn’t resurrected, I would have cashed in the boy’s tack a long time ago. But
as long as their saddles still fit them, I still have hope. I wonder if the girl
who gave up her horse for the boys will one day want her children to experience
them like I did. Maybe her love for horses will be resurrected, too. Tammy
050105
The Gelding -- archived 050105
Spring is off to a great start!
Seems like every time I start writing about spring being here, I glance outside
& there is no evidence of such, except green grass & sprouting leaves. The skies
have been pretty gray for the last few days so the sunshine today is welcome!
I just logged the hours I rode this
past weekend. Three hours between 2 horses! My goal this year is 300 hours? You
don’t have to tell me I am behind the curve right now! I’ll need to average at
least 10 hours a week before the weather turns this fall! Don’t tell John! If
you recall, every time I mentioned riding last year, he thought the hay should
come out that weekend.
With the price of diesel fuel, I
don’t think we are going to go on any out of state trips. (If John has his way,
we will spend all our riding time at Camp Moses – that’s only 17 miles down the
road). But there are a lot of places here in Nebraska that we have wanted to
see. And maybe if we take more frequent trips, but not travel as far, we will
have the opportunity to explore new trails.
When I went out to feed tonight, my
geldings lined up across the fence as I was playing with the new filly. It was
the perfect opportunity for a photo of the three guys! The bay, Gunner, is newly
gelded. When I pulled the picture up on my computer tonight, I get the distinct
impression he was trying to tell me what he thought of that little surgery! Take
a close look at the picture at the top of the page! Gunner is on the right! I
guess he had the last word! -Tammy 041305
Rosella Martin -- 1927 - 2005
The last few months have been
difficult. My mom got sick right after the first of the year and we lost her on
March 17. I was prepared for the "long goodbye" as cancer sometimes dictates.
But death came soon & although we wanted more time, she seemed to have spared us
the pain that cancer is known to deal out in the end.
I believe I was fortunate that both
of my parents appreciated animals and passed it on to not only to my siblings
and I, but our children as well. We had horses as kids; kept them on the farm
where my mom was raised. When we bought our first horse as an adult, my dad was
already gone. But Mom enjoyed coming out and sitting on the bench next to the
barn and watching them as they were fed and petting their noses. At one time we
had close to a dozen horses & she always said she could tell who "Big Baby" was
– obviously because of her size, but also her prominent blaze. When my sister
fell off Ginger a few years ago, Mom was quick to say "I sure won’t ride her
now!" I wanted to reply: "As if you ever would of, Mom", but didn’t. I guess I
have always been a bit curious if she was entertaining the idea?
While Mom was sick, we went through
old pictures. We found one of her horse – a pretty paint she called "Dick". She
thought he must have had some draft in him, because of his size. A few of my
friends currently ride with their mom or dad. I wish I could of. I wish I would
of known Mom when she rode that paint.
When Baby foaled this past week, it
crossed my mind that I "need to call Mom to tell her." As a friend was quick to
point out; she knows. --Tammy 040605
A special thanks to Sheila & Greg
for contributing to Stable Talk when I didn’t have the time to even think about
putting a column together. And to my Horsetales buddies for keeping me company
via email while I was away most weekends.
A Baby for Baby -- Archived 040605
We are going to have a baby this
spring”, I announced rather loudly at a recent family gathering. When the heads
of several mildly amused aunts and uncles seemed to spin around and their eyes
no longer met mine but went right to my stomach, I realized I had misspoke. And
I am not sure if they were disappointed or relieved to learn the baby in
question is a foal, not an infant! I know the prospect of the former excites me
a great deal more than if it were the latter! And it was a total surprise!
Which horse? Baby Dutch. Our 5 year
old draft cross who we have had since she was a weanling. Now we may have
expected it out of Ginger, but not our Baby! How could this of happened? Well,
I guess you could say the chance of her getting bred last spring was possible,
but I didn’t think it was probable. We had 2 stud colts. One was coming 2 and
the other just a yearling. We sold the 2 year old in early spring. And her being
a rather large mare… let’s just say I didn’t think the young studs were really
interested or that she stood a chance with these good looking boys! I guess it
goes to show how little I know. If there’s a will there’s a way!
Now I was always one to criticize
when women were on the talk shows saying they had no idea they were
pregnant. I feel like I am in a way that kind of horse owner. No pre-natal care
for this one. No special feed. And <gasp>, John rode her 8 miles a few weekends
ago! Even made her cross a rather questionable obstacle! He even rebuffed our
friend’s observation that “Baby sure looks bred!” Shrugged it off as saying she
is just fat! I had mentioned it to him also, a time or two – but I really didn’t
believe it could happen to our Baby. But after John’s 8 mile ride and my
friend’s comments, I took another look “under” the Babe. And I was surprised to
find her bag was filling! So was my nay-saying husband!
No, it wasn’t immaculate conception. One of those young studs obviously were
involved. But who is the sire? Well, odds would be on Watch Dash Two, (aka Dash)
a two year old palomino quarter horse who is my Stable Talk icon. And according
to my friend, Julie – should he be the lucky daddy, we have a 50/50 chance of
either a sorrel or palomino foal. I’m hoping for sorrel with flaxen mane, but I
hate to sound so picky.
Now if Major Inspiration (aka Little
Blacky) is the proud daddy, (I'm impressed! since he was a mere yearling at the
time), according again to Julie – and I quote: “… you could have a sorrel, black
or bay if he carries a red base gene. But if he doesn't, you'll get black or bay
but no sorrel. If the black colt has a red parent....he has a red gene so about
anything is possible. If [he] has a parent with a dilution gene, i.e. a palomino
or dun or buckskin he could have a dilution gene that's hidden.” Wouldn’t you
know it; Little Blacky has a sorrel overo dam and a black sire!
But wait! Little Blacky is a (bs)
paint! Maybe the foal will have spots! Then we would know for sure!
I just recently reduced my herd to a manageable 6 horses. But as in the best
families, another mouth to feed isn’t too much of a hardship. The baby will be
loved, regardless of his sex, who the daddy is and the color of his fur. We are
just praying for a happy, healthy baby for Baby! - Tammy 032205
Happy Anniversary Horsetrailriders.com! Archived 2/19/2005
This Monday, February 7th, I will consider this web site officially 1 year old!
Wow! What a year!
When I first starting riding a few years ago, I found myself frustrated at the
lack of information on horse trail riding and horse events for the recreational
rider. I would always hear about rides after the fact. I found there was no one
source of information for riders such as me. So in December of 2003, I
registered the name Horsetrailriders.com and started to learn about building a
web site. I had a lot to learn. Still do.
February 7th, 2004 was the turning point. It was a terribly snowy day and my
boys were playing in the hayloft of the barn. In the early afternoon, my
youngest son, Case, came running into the house telling me to come quick – his
brother, McCain had fallen from the hayloft and broken his leg. The ambulance
was summoned, specialists consulted and my then nine-year-old son was put in
traction for 24 days. So for 24 days, I sat in the hospital room with my son,
laptop in hand. And Horsetrailriders.com became a reality.
Horsetrailriders.com evolved over the last 12 months. I really expected more
reader contributions. I guess I figured since I had so much to say about horses,
so would you. Some brave souls submitted their stories and I thank them. Yours
are always welcome, too. But because I didn’t get the reader contributions I
expected, I found out quickly that it was up to me to keep it fresh. Stable Talk
was started shortly thereafter. Sometimes I struggle with writers block, but
then I go to the barn or on a ride or get an email from one of you and I am
inspired to write another column.
The pages which have received the most “hits” have been the Horse Events and the
Classifieds section. It doesn’t surprise me that you are looking for events, as
that was the information I longed for. As a result of Horse Events, my Friday
Before Mother’s Day Ride grew from 6 participants to 49 women in 2004! And I am
pleased to find that the Classified section is working for you. I know several
of you who have sold horses and bought horses, as well as tack & saddles.
The best reward for me, though, was the new friends I have made as a result of
this web site. Whether you emailed me to say “hello” or we have been on trail
rides together, it has been a real honor getting to know you. My Horsetales
Yahoo group has grown to almost 50 members! Just last month we posted over 500
messages and are planning a group ride this summer! I’ve even been reunited with
an old school friend who I hadn’t seen for over 25 years. I’ve met new friends
with whom I share not only our common interest in horses, but similar interests
in life. Wow, what a year!
My son’s leg has healed. Only 2 small scars remain from where they placed the
traction rod. And today, almost a year later, it was nearly 65 degrees! Only in
Nebraska! This web site has changed, some. I can’t say I have learned too much
more about being a web mistress, so forgive the “amateur” look. Unless Microsoft
comes up with any new tools, it is what it is.
Horsetrailriders.com has welcomed 13,627 friends. One can never have too many
friends. I say it often; it is truly a labor of love. Come back again soon! And
don’t forget to sign the guestbook! -Tammy 02/04/05
For the love on animals... Archived 1-21-05
Animals are really pretty incredible. We have a dog, Madelyn, who everyone
loves. She camps with us and is one of those no hassle dogs. Stays at camp,
doesn’t bark. Fat and happy! She has gone to South Dakota with us, Missouri and
all our usual haunts here in Nebraska. She was going to come to Cowgirl Weekend
with me, but she is such low maintenance, that I forgot her. And she still loves
me! All the cats love Madelyn. They look at our other dogs with disgust and run
to Madelyn, purring & rubbing. Madelyn accepts anyone’s dog that comes on our
property. She is everyone’s friend.
I’ve been working with a family who
may take Daisy to their farm. Their young daughter has been taking riding
lessons and needs a special horse. Daisy has a lot to offer this young rider & I
don’t think her teaching days are over. But Daisy was alone for so long before
she came to us that I can’t bare to think of her being alone again. So I
searched for a buddy for Daisy. My good friend, Cindy, had just the thing. A
weanling donkey!
Now I admit, although I wasn’t
necessarily a donkey “basher”, how can I put it…? I didn’t have the passion for
donkeys like I do for horses. When we have camped around donkeys or mules, they
seemed noisy. And they sure didn’t smell like a horse. But Daisy, being an appy,
is funny looking, too. So I decided a donkey for Daisy may just be a good thing!
Upon unloading the donkey, aka “Romeo”, John, quickly decided he should call the
neighbor right now and apologize in advance for the braying this newly weaned
orphan would be putting us all through.
My gelding, Joe, has been in our
herd since early June. But the rest of the horses still don’t appreciate his
spots. He is always eating at the “other” bale. The young colts will rustle up
a game with him occasionally, but the mares have no use whatsoever for him. His
most recent charge, Billie the Filly, has been sold. So you can imagine Joe’s
delight with Romeo! They bunked together during the blizzard last week and on
the first clear day; Romeo was merged into the herd.
Romeo has the same effect on the
herd as Madelyn does with the cats. Everyone loves him. When they first returned
to pasture, he was afraid to go through the gate. He brayed and the herd stood
on the hill, ears up watching him. Later that day when we came home, he was in
the pasture with the rest. That night, he returned to the corral eating next to
the Belgian mare – who hates all new creatures. And tonight, he led Joe into the
barn to one of the main bunks for feeding. Joe never gets to eat in the barn! He
always has to eat outside. But his new role as a friend to “the donkey” has
elevated him to royalty among the herd. As I said, animals are amazing, aren’t
they. 011105 tv
Riding Time archived 011105
Happy New Year! Another winter month down! Two bad months to go. And then in
March, I start to see the hope of spring.
I’m not sure how it was in your neck of the woods, but we had really nice
weather between Christmas and New Years. My friends, Kathy & Julie, joined me on
a ride a Camp Moses on Thursday. The temperatures reached 65 degrees. My horse,
Joe, unfortunately found a slick trail & slipped and fell. He recovered nicely,
but I felt he was a bit “off”. It wasn’t until we got back to the trailer & had
lunch that I could tell there was a problem. The farrier was here the next day &
suggested taking him to the vet who is also a chiropractor. He felt the problem
was in his withers & shoulder area. If you are keeping score, this is the second
time I’ve had to put Joe on rest since I got him last spring!
On New Years Eve day, we went to Cass County to visit our friends; the Musil’s
and pick up a little weanling donkey. “Romeo” was donated by my friend, Cindy,
to be a companion animal for Daisy. The next chapter in Daisy’s life is still in
the works, so I’ll report on it when the time comes. It is fun to have a little
donkey here. He is as sweet as can be. While at the Musils, we managed to get
another hour or so in the saddle.
Saturday, January 1, was Game Day at 3V Stables. Forty-seven riders came to try
their skill at barrel racing, pole bending and musical hula-hoops along with 7
other games! The weather held steady for us through the 8th game & it was great
to get our shaggy horses out! Since Joe is still under the weather, I took Blue.
He is not an arena horse & did not do well. I ended up riding Ginger in most of
the events, even though she does no better than Blue. Whenever we do these
events, I quickly remember what a lousy rider I am. Sure, I can stay in the
saddle going down a trail, but finding my seat for speed events is something
else! Case took 1st in the barrels on Mikey. John did manage to get 2nd on Blue
in pole bending. Not sure how Blue pulled that one off!
Since AQHA’s Ride Program now lets you record the hours of any breed of horse
you ride – online – it has helped me set the bar for riding this coming year.
For 2004, I rode a total of 238.5 hours. When I saw the tally, I thought “that’s
all?” My husband said that is “too many!” My resolution for this year is 300
hours. That doesn’t seem like much, but with working and kids & their events, it
may be a push to get there. I’ll keep you posted. If you log your hours, and
want to share... send them over to me. I'll put you on the score card.
The New Year may hold a lot of changes at our house. I hate to call them
resolutions – let’s just say they are “thoughts” for 2005. We would like to
reduce our herd from nine horses, to 5 or 6. That may not seem drastic to you,
but it is breaking my heart! Thing I have learned this year is I can’t ride them
all! I have also learned that letting go is a lot harder than bringing them
home, so finding that perfect place for some of my herd has not been easy. I
also promised my husband that I wouldn’t push him into week long riding trips
during his busy season, but he must be more excited about increasing the number
of weekends we ride. And I told myself that I won’t hold us hostage to the hay
harvest season. Ride more, worry less! We can’t help it if it rains!
I hope Horsetrailriders.com continues to grow and be your source for trails and
trail riding information. Your contributions make it possible. Keep them coming!
010205 tv
End of Year Recap Archived 1-2-05
Happy Holidays. I was supposed to be in Chicago today and tomorrow for work, but
our flight was canceled. So I find myself with a little extra time to wrap
things up for the year. Everything is always about "time" anymore. Finding time
for this web site -- then and now -- has truly been a labor of love.
The idea for this web site came almost two years ago. I was planning the first
public Friday Before Mother’s Day Ride and knowing that weather could be a
factor, was wishing I had a web site to post it on. I used a little free page
from one of the search engines and it worked for that event. When summer came
around and riding season started, I was frustrated when I would hear about rides
after the fact. There didn’t seem to be any online source for trail riding. The
idea of a web site on horse trails and trail riding in Nebraska started to
evolve.
My friend Gayle, a computer teacher, gave me a book about web sites. It seemed
pretty complicated, but I was not discouraged. When I found that Greg Vossler of
3V Stables did his own site, I figured if a cowboy could do a web site, surely I
could! (No offense, Greg – I was really quite impressed!) So Greg tutored me
with web hosts and programs. And almost a year ago, Horsetrailriders.com was
finally registered.
There was so much I wanted my web site to be! Again, I had more ideas than I had
time. Tragically, I found the time last February. You may recall my son McCain
was seriously injured when he fell from the hayloft in our barn. We spent 24
days in the hospital with him. In a chair next to his bed, with Sponge Bob on
the TV and a laptop computer, Horsetrailriders.com was launched!
My own horses and experiences, with the help of spell & grammar check, have kept
the words flowing. Although a bit “folksy” at times, and obviously amateur,
cyberspace has brought Horsetrailriders.com to you and you to me. I’ve said it
many times – I’ve met more people in the last year than I have the last 10
years! I have met friends of friends and been reunited with old friends. I have
spent more time in the saddle and followed more trail than I have in any of the
previous years!
Horsetrailriders.com was never meant to be a “blog”. I didn’t even know what a
blog was until recently. [Definition: an online diary; a personal chronological
log of thoughts published on a Web page; also called Weblog, Web log]. But
someone told me one time that reading my web page was like reading my diary, so
maybe it is a blog and I just don’t know it. Good or bad, almost 11,000 people
have passed through my home page in 11 months.
What I am most proud of is you! It was never meant to be a “me only” thing. I
wanted contributions from readers & I got them in the way of your stories,
pictures and tips. I wanted to publish upcoming events & they started coming in!
Just look at what we already have for 2005! I know personally of several horses
and a couple trailers that have sold on my Classifieds page. And 49 women
attended my Friday Before Mother’s Day Ride!
We had almost 270 people sign the Rock Glen petition and many of you showed up
to help at the Take Pride in America Day at Rock Creek. You forwarded to your
own network alerts of missing horses and stolen tack. There are about 40 members
in my HorseTales chat group who have come together as a result of this web site
to share ideas & friendships.
My network of horse enthusiasts has grown and continues to grow. And I thank all
of you for making that possible. I am looking forward to new friends and new
trails in 2005 and I hope Horsetrailriders.com can keep bringing us altogether!
Happy New Year & Happy Trails!
Tammy Vasa & family
   
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