Horse Tales

Blog Fodder from Dr. Bob.....

As I am sure you know, Sherry and her horse, Chiquita, Catherine and Touchstone, Bob and Dreamer and Gizmo went on a major trail ride

from Monday 3/8 through Sunday 3/14.

We rode 57 miles from San Manuel, north of SPR on 281,

to the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show in Mercedes.

Our longest day was 13.9 miles.

We camped each night and moved the rigs in the mornings to the next camp site.

The drivers were "ferried" back to the horses in a large stock trailer.

The group organizing and running the ride was the "North Val Verde Trail Riders".

They provided three wonderful meals per day, live bands for evening entertainment two nights, 4 porta-potties on a trailer, a "rider taxi/bus wagon" for tired riders, a large stock trailer for tired or injured horses and four traffic control riders.

We rode on FM roads, blacktop highways, paths, dirt lanes, perimeter field roads and for a few miles on Expressway 83.

We camped in an old rest area, in a field at a cattle feed lot ranch, at Delta Lake, behind the Bikerz Bar in Elsa and two nights at a private ranch near Mercedes. We had close to 50 instances of loose horses running around in the camps.
On most days we had between 35 and 50 riders and horses. On Saturday, however, we had some 120 horses and riders for the Opening Parade for the livestock show.

"Sherry's horse, Chiquita, learning to stand tied to a fence without pawing the bottom rails. Notice the hobbles on her front feet..."

Wow Guys! What a great time you had!