Don't Fence Me In 2021

 Travel and Arrival

I met Cortney and her Mom at the truck stop exit on I-90 mid morning on Friday. From there I followed them through Snoqualmie Pass to the east side of the state. 

Still snow in the upper elevations but the drive over was easy and as we started to descend the clouds cleared and blue skies appeared.

Crossing the Columbia River

We traveled steadily east and turned off of I-90 into just... farmland interspersed among scrub. There weren't any facilities off this exit and then we traveled for miles.

Some kind of yellow flowering crop?

We stopped in Odessa, WA for gas before heading to camp. This was a tiny town. Very tiny.

Ride camp wasn't far out from Odessa, but did require a couple miles of dirt/gravel road that just kicked up incredible dust.  The signage was great and we knew we were close when we started seeing the water tanks. 

Cortney and Reign

We got horses off the trailers and did some basic set up before walking to the front of camp to vet in. Camp was stretched out along a road that went into rangeland. We set up where there was clearing in the scrub for vehicles. 

Jessica and Rio

I originally set Gwyn up in my panels, which I'd used previously in Michigan and at Ride the Loup back in 2019.

Gwyn was less enthused about pen containment and ended up breaking two of my panels before we'd even finished setting up camp. Thankfully, I'd brought my hi-line and decided to use that instead, which did not give me issues. 

We had a trailer safety clinic in ride camp. A big proponent of EDRA is education, which I appreciate. It made me consider upgrading my ball and hitch on the truck. 

The sunset Friday night was just superb. 

Ride Day

This is going to be hard to write. Ride day did not go as I had envisioned. Getting Gwyn's boots on was more difficult than it ever had been. I think she's near the end of her trim cycle and the dust just made the coefficient of friction between her hoof and the boot incredibly high to the point where I couldn't wiggle it on  like I usually do. So frustrations were running high off the bat.

I didn't leave immediately when the trail opened. We ambled out of camp keeping it low key for the horses that needed it. Out of camp we turned right on the dirt road and headed north. As the road stretched up the hill, Dave, the ride photographer (and Cortney's husband), was waiting with his camera. Behind us was a really nice view of Pacific Lake (didn't realize it at the time).  Cortney and I kicked into a canter for the photo op. 

After about a mile we turned off onto 2 track ATV trails through BLM property. 

Unfortunately, rather quickly into the ride my right calf started killing me, with pain shooting up the outside. If I tried to change my position, my ankle started wobbling uncontrollably. I kept fighting my stirrup to find a secure position for my foot and it wasn't happening.

I told Cortney to keep going, because I'd figured we'd reached the point where I needed to ride my own ride. She pulled ahead just before a lollipop loop and shortly after that I was passed by all the other 30s. My leg kept me from maintaining long trotting sections, which this ride definitely required and could sustain. 

I fought my way through the lollipop, trotting until I was in agony and fighting Gwyn who was feeling fit and frustrated that all the horses were ahead of her. There were even times where, since the land was so open, we could see the next horse far ahead of us, at which point I was in more agony trying to keep her from bolting toward them. Plus, every time she bolted, I felt my bladder control just leave the planet. Thanks, kids.

Amazingly, I had service through the whole ride and ended up calling Erica to cry to her about what I was thinking. She comforted me and agreed that the decision I was planning on was the best one. 

When I got back to the end of the lollipop and could have turned right to continue down the trail toward the 20 mile outcheck, I turned left and headed back to camp. 

That small bit of white in the distance is ride camp.

I texted Cortney to let her know and figured she could pass on information as necessary to folks at the out check. 

It was so embarrasing walking into camp and realizing that they thought I was the first returning 50 for a hold. No, please don't cheer. I'm Rider Optioning because my fucking leg can't take it.

I had several miles that I insisted Gwyn walk where I could sit and fiddle with my position. Something is odd with it and it hasn't really reared its head until I was doing a ton of sustained, flat, trotting. I couldn't get the inner ball of my foot to contact the stirrup the way my right foot could. When I tried to really manipulate it, my knee started hurting. If you recall, that same knee is what I really jacked up after camping over labor day weekend. 

So I made a couple of decisions on that walk back. 
1. I go see a physical therapist

2. I get other health stuff sorted

3. I don't do the 25 at Trout Lake

4. I do the 15 mile at Trout Lake

As it was, about a mile from getting back to ride camp, I suddenly had a major need to use the bathroom, like just agonizing bowel pain. Thanks IBS.  

I got Gwyn settled and took an amazing nap. Then I hung out with Trudy until the 30 miles finished and I helped Cortney get situated while she waited to vet out. The line was long and she didn't have any hay for Reign. 

Then I took another nap. Hooboy.

The ride managers gave out awards at an 'impromptu' gathering (BLM didn't want gatherings but had checked on the ride at the out check and were happy with how things were organized). 

Travel Home

We took our time packing up and were on the road by noon.

Then it was through the farm fields back to I-90 and westward bound.

Coming down to the Columbia River

Seeing the Cascades again!

Up into clouds at Snoqualmie Pass

Snoqualmie Summit ski area

Then down the west side and you can literally see the light quality change and it's like being home again

Through a brief rainstorm

And from here it was a little over an hour back to the barn to drop Gwyn off. 

Overall, it was a disappointing return to endurance for me. I left that ride feeling emotionally exhaused and physically in pain. But I'm glad I RO'd. I didn't injure myself further trying to push myself through 30 miles and I didn't come in way over time because I couldn't maintain the necessary pace. 

And now I know a better path forward. 

I've already got an appointment with a physical therapist who specializes in equestrian injuries. I'm hoping I can get things sorted. I'm also really grappling with my functional fitness and what my goals there need to be. Thanks to therapy, I'm getting out the tough conversations there. 

The New Barn

I mentioned previously that I was moving Gwyn to a new barn. I'm looking at potentially having a job in the near future and the prospect of going into winter while pasture boarding and really only having light to ride on weekends was looking less and less appealing.  I started putting feelers out for barns that I felt were affordable still in the event I didn't get this job (still waiting) but also had the amenities that would be nice for winter weather. I found a couple and didn't act quickly enough on several and lost the spot.

The sweet spot price range I was looking at goes quickly around here and I knew I'd need to not sit on my decision the next time an opportunity knocked. I happened to join a cold weather riding challenge and mentioned that I was unsure where my horse would be located (we were sharing our location within WA state) and someone PMed me saying they had a stall opening Oct 1 at their barn not too far from me.

 I headed out midday with Hazel to find a small private farm. They have a max of 8 horses on property. There's turnout every day and horses are stalled at night. There's both a covered arena and an outdoor arena. Most of the riders are some form of eventer or jumper. The facility is less than 10 minutes from the local eventing trainer who has the nicest cross country course around. Her trainers come to this barn regularly to give lessons. My instructor is also welcome to come teach here and Cortney can trailer in for those lessons.

 There are 4 stalls on the exterior of the covered arena (plus one for shavings storage).

This is now Gwyn's stall

 Hazel and the little girl were quick buddies and immediately went off to play together on the swing set, which is in sight of both arenas.

There's a covered wash rack with hopefully hot water once they fix the heater (on the wall on the right)

 The other barn has 4 stalls (plus one for hay storage), tack lockers and a general tack room. I'm in the general tack room and that's fine by me. I've just got my grooming box, helmet, saddle, bridle and breastcollar. I'll probably keep most ointments and stuff in a big bin in front of Gwyn's stall.

The other place was sad to see me go. They have a lot of plans, but between fighting the fungusy gunk on Gwyn's legs and thinking about the fading daylight, it made a lot of sense to move. I hope the other place is able to put in the upgrades they want. I truly wish them the best.

Gwyn's move was anticlimactic. I moved her on Thursday. Hazel came with me while I hooked up the truck and then drove into the pasture to load Gwyn. I've got a new strategy for loading her that minimizes escapes if I'm doing it all solo.

She hopped off at the new place and looked around expectantly. I brought her down to the turnout pens and she walked in and kind of eyed each of the other horses, all of whom were VERY excited to see someone new. Then she cocked a foot and watched me.

In turnout.

Barn owner A was very impressed at how calm she was. And I guess she usually is. We've gone enough places that are new and different that this has just become The Thing we do. And I have the expectation of her that she'll take it all in stride. She's definitely becoming a been there done that kind of horse and I love it.

That night I came back to ride her a bit. Kaylee came with me. The barn was BUSY! We just had a low key ride and again, Gwyn was great and relaxed.

Kaylee even got on!

Friday morning was my 3 hours of no children time so I headed out to ride. The horses had been fed breakfast but hadn't been turned out yet.

Gwyn was a bit swollen. I'm pretty sure it's due to the fungal muck that's all over her legs. On pasture she'd be walking enough to reduce this swelling but being stalled has made it worse. It was slightly warm but not alarmingly so and she wasn't fussed  by it.

So I rode anyway. The swelling did go down with light activity.

I worked on coordinating myself to be asking for contact and bend in the indoor, then realized the weather shouldn't be wasted and went to the outdoor arena.

There was a course set up with ground poles and the tiniest cross rail. So we played trotting a 'jump' course and keeping a steady trot and not rushing anything.

That was apparently really hard work, all 20 minutes of it, so she had to drink from seat puddle water.

And investigate the mirrors.

Happy, relaxed mare

 Saturday afternoon I returned with desitin (40% zinc oxide) and slathered her legs in it. The zinc should help with the fungus crud. I also dabbed some lotrimin in the worst spots too. It's what I use to get rid of thrush too. The swelling already looked better that night, so I'm thinking as she stays dry, and with an antifungal, it should go away.