tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77855971616800523742024-03-06T00:30:57.897-05:00Ride Every StrideStacey Stearnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06547504736100974364noreply@blogger.comBlogger351125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785597161680052374.post-68094097338833631332023-11-12T19:16:00.003-05:002023-11-12T19:17:08.867-05:00Life Lessons from Ridecamp: The Difference a Pair of Gloves Makes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgZuzQo6qIIT5CuUkd2JF3mU_zEeoLzkRaLSVXZepKA5Zt5eQseSqcXjXS35D6H43ayiS29xxkmH-ZJ7iqbMha4PzF5MG3H1l4GNNd4FYC_1AumuUhbHs9GQzEJR1KrKQc-AoWPPaD4uVA05OZHPGVxo1GXCCR8uMr6BBcNduAph0dv8QQ8cjrGKHzFEA/s960/Jersey%20trails%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgZuzQo6qIIT5CuUkd2JF3mU_zEeoLzkRaLSVXZepKA5Zt5eQseSqcXjXS35D6H43ayiS29xxkmH-ZJ7iqbMha4PzF5MG3H1l4GNNd4FYC_1AumuUhbHs9GQzEJR1KrKQc-AoWPPaD4uVA05OZHPGVxo1GXCCR8uMr6BBcNduAph0dv8QQ8cjrGKHzFEA/s320/Jersey%20trails%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Fall brings the end of the competitive riding season, and one of the last rides held each year is the Jersey Devil Competitive Trail Ride. It's held at a club in the pine barrens and cranberry bogs, usually around Halloween, and it's always a good time because the New Jersey Trail Ride Association is a great group of people who prioritize hospitality. </p><p>In 2012, I went down to this ride with my friend Megan, and we rode for two days, 25 miles each day. Of course, 2012 was also the year of Superstorm Sandy. I slept on a bunk bed in the clubhouse and was glad to be indoors and warm as the rain, hail, and wind came through. </p><p>We rode out the first day in that weather too. I had the rump rug on John, and off we went. It was brutal, and to this day, it's the most miserable I've ever been on a horse. At some point on the first loop, Megan gave me her gloves, and it made a huge difference and is probably the reason I was able to finish the ride. Warming up my hands somehow restored some of my spirit. At the veterinary hold, they brought us soup in cups to drink, but told us not to go inside the clubhouse, because we wouldn't come back out and finish the ride. </p><p>Instead, we headed out for another 12 or so miles and then vetted the horses out. John ended up reserve champion with a score of 99-plus, I don't remember it exactly and would need to go through all his ride cards again to find it. Sunday, we had beautiful weather, and it more than made up for the rain and cold on Saturday. Of course, once we headed home, we came back to a darkened world without power for days, but that's a story for another day. Instead, this ride helped me understand the value of a good pair of gloves, and I always make sure I take multiple pairs to rides now. </p><p><i><a href="http://rideeverystride.blogspot.com/2021/11/life-lessons-from-ride-camp.html" target="_blank">Life Lessons From Ridecamp</a> is a series that shares the lessons our horses and ride camp taught me and how they apply to the rest of my life. </i></p>Stacey Stearnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06547504736100974364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785597161680052374.post-43979975371730328842023-11-05T07:22:00.006-05:002023-11-06T06:18:42.341-05:00Life Lessons from Ridecamp: LD = Luxury Distance<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWM-j4n-EtsZIKUU5GBLfA7Fb-aecxRloroPiQwoVIiJn7lzhlXFr7xAl3n9Le5AeVHUJo8_DUMCBqLBs8vn2YiX5SNseApMUJdfpzFXIzjuLZCd7j-5rgoFMCWzVTV_QWGZQmo_m2ck1s_F6-AMO4lPP727wSD3tQx0kjmcZ2jgOTJpHuY_KPv9408zc/s1920/123_1.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWM-j4n-EtsZIKUU5GBLfA7Fb-aecxRloroPiQwoVIiJn7lzhlXFr7xAl3n9Le5AeVHUJo8_DUMCBqLBs8vn2YiX5SNseApMUJdfpzFXIzjuLZCd7j-5rgoFMCWzVTV_QWGZQmo_m2ck1s_F6-AMO4lPP727wSD3tQx0kjmcZ2jgOTJpHuY_KPv9408zc/s320/123_1.JPEG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pleasure ride on Remi - October 2023.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div>Endurance and competitive trail can seem daunting to those on the outside looking in. It’s an obscure sport, someone told me once, and this is true – and those of us immersed in this obscure sport need to share it with others. <div><br /></div><div>The distinctions between endurance and competitive trail can be shared another day; today I want to focus on endurance and the limited distance (LD) division. LD had a negative connotation in many parts of the country when I first started riding and it was obvious that you weren’t considered a real endurance rider unless you rode or could ride a 50-mile ride. </div><div><br /></div><div>But we need to ride the horse we have and for some of us, a 50-mile ride just isn’t possible. For others, the LD is preferred because of their own limitations, whether they are work, physical, or something else. </div><div><br /></div><div>Eventually, the phrase “luxury distance” in regard to LDs started buzzing around the circles that I ride in. There were 50-mile riders who said they wished they were riding the LD with us, and back at camp relaxing instead of heading off on another loop. There’s a lot to be said for being done after seven hours or so, taking care of the horse and visiting with friends. </div><div><br /></div><div>I love riding a true endurance ride, but there is a lot to be said about the luxury distance of 25 or 30 miles. Right now, I don’t have a 50-mile horse, and need those LDs so that I can stay part of the sport. Someday, I will have a 50-mile horse again, but until then I will ride and enjoy the LDs and that’s okay too.
</div><div><br /></div><div><i><a href="http://rideeverystride.blogspot.com/2021/11/life-lessons-from-ride-camp.html" target="_blank">Life Lessons From Ridecamp</a> is a series that shares the lessons our horses and ride camp taught me and how they apply to the rest of my life. </i></div>Stacey Stearnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06547504736100974364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785597161680052374.post-34395423620509844402023-07-30T11:34:00.002-04:002023-07-30T11:34:32.262-04:00Life Lessons from Ridecamp: Too Much of a Good Thing<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOT7MUU35NPadxMfHzPXIOOQkRsb_UNAuVHcJqjW59wqhqSOecfrjOIWhwPPzidREJqc3rrV_OPwZmKXDTnUkhBYLgazNm8H33wTjSelDcIrMeEeR17nn8bi4gJSrErMT40h7taB2d5Bf8_dq_eWke2WlyK7uW10qbk2OQfkNZhc89yPl0RMH769U4I8Y/s3858/Secret%20eating%20mash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3858" data-original-width="3022" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOT7MUU35NPadxMfHzPXIOOQkRsb_UNAuVHcJqjW59wqhqSOecfrjOIWhwPPzidREJqc3rrV_OPwZmKXDTnUkhBYLgazNm8H33wTjSelDcIrMeEeR17nn8bi4gJSrErMT40h7taB2d5Bf8_dq_eWke2WlyK7uW10qbk2OQfkNZhc89yPl0RMH769U4I8Y/s320/Secret%20eating%20mash.jpg" width="251" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table>There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. We've all learned this the hard way ourselves, and it's true for our horses too. My knowledge of too much of a good thing occurred when I was about seven years old. My grandmother had made a yellow cake with chocolate frosting for some holiday or get-together. This was my favorite. I don't remember how many pieces I ate, but it was too many and I was so sick when I got home. </p><p>Early in my distance horse riding career, I attended the Eastern Competitive Trail Ride Association (ECTRA) Winter Getaway. Patti and Bob Brooks were organizing it that year, and it was down near Mystic, Connecticut, so easy for me to attend. </p><p>I primarily wanted to attend a session on electrolytes for horses; the panel seemed like it had people that really knew what they were talking about (they did), even though I had no idea who they were at the time. The panel on electrolytes included Dr. Art King, Kathy Brunjes, and a third person with a lot of experience, although I no longer remember who.</p><p>Art told a story about taking a team (Canada or the United States, I don't remember which) to an international competition in Abu Dhabi. Don't quote me on the details, this was 2010 or 2011 when I heard the story, so it's been a while. It was his first time taking horses to compete in the Middle East, and they were worried about the high temperatures. So they started giving the horses plenty of electrolytes. The thing about the desert is, they don't have the humidity that we have here in the Northeast, or in some other parts of the world.</p><p>Long story short, they gave the horses too much electrolytes and they were all overhydrated. None of the horses started the competition, instead, they went to the vet clinic. Art said that they gave them some sort of medication to make them urinate. The horses started peeing and kept peeing for a long time he said. Too much electrolytes is not a good thing. You need to understand what you're giving the horse and what the climate calls for.</p><p>At the Pine Tree Pioneer ride, quite a few years later, we were facing incredibly hot and humid weather. At the ride meeting each night before we rode (at that time Pine Tree was four days of endurance rides, 25 or 50 miles each day), Art told us to take whatever we were giving our horses for electrolytes and to double it. That's what the weather conditions called for. We were all really careful with our horses and there weren't any metabolic pulls that week. In that case, there wasn't too much of a good thing.</p><p>I often disguise electrolytes in a soupy mash, similar to the one Secret is eating in the photo above. This was taken at the end of a training ride earlier this summer, on a hot day. We also had to trailer home afterward. Mixing the electrolytes in with some of her favorite things (hay stretchers, grain, and applesauce), along with some water, ensures she gets the rest and hydration needed.</p><p><i><a href="http://rideeverystride.blogspot.com/2021/11/life-lessons-from-ride-camp.html" target="_blank">Life Lessons From Ridecamp</a> is a series that shares the lessons our horses and ride camp taught me and how they apply to the rest of my life. </i></p>Stacey Stearnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06547504736100974364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785597161680052374.post-71787155217651874732023-07-09T13:56:00.002-04:002023-07-09T13:56:37.118-04:00Life Lessons from Ridecamp: Her Heart Wasn't In It<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJUe12PwuuFrxPEtp0dSimnpqn8NpdYd78GdJTHLiI0eY6LFhH6qGlqGUcuZfXWVfBGlr9MUGQmYnHT6aqimXge0oyVXTVQxkNczCyFf6dTUe_yEDrdFtWY-KWZbZdyOMvqGKoOwo2_XN3W1qQPX60kFCGWJSTBrUBezcReG-CVvTJkaSYgZLsRdJLtso/s4032/IMG_8516.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJUe12PwuuFrxPEtp0dSimnpqn8NpdYd78GdJTHLiI0eY6LFhH6qGlqGUcuZfXWVfBGlr9MUGQmYnHT6aqimXge0oyVXTVQxkNczCyFf6dTUe_yEDrdFtWY-KWZbZdyOMvqGKoOwo2_XN3W1qQPX60kFCGWJSTBrUBezcReG-CVvTJkaSYgZLsRdJLtso/s320/IMG_8516.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><i>Disclaimer: My veterinarian and farrier have both been working with me on this horse since April, and her right shoulder was definitely sensitive when we went to vet in at the Horses Across Maine Endurance Ride.</i> <p></p><p>I've said for years that even though Secret is good at endurance, she only competed to humor me because I asked. She is done humoring me. Secret turned 22 in June, but she looked fantastic early this spring. John is 20 this year, but with the issues he had with his left hind leg, I don't want to compete with him anymore, even though he is sound.</p><p>So, over the winter, I set a goal to get Remi ready to compete, she's been sitting waiting for too many years, but working full-time, freelancing (horses are expensive), and trying to keep two fit, let alone three, is a lot. I'm learning to give myself more grace, I was ambitious in thinking I could have three ready at once, but I digress. Remi is working, but not ready to compete, however, Secret came through the winter looking fantastic, so I figured I could get at least one more season out of her, and then ease her out of competition and into pleasure rides.</p><p>We started the season earlier than I ever have before and went down to the Rabbit Run endurance ride in New Jersey in March. While I've ridden out of this location many times in the past, I'd never been to this particular ride. Two weeks later, we went down to Maryland for the Foxcatcher Endurance ride on April 1st. There was torrential rain and gale-force winds. Lightning struck near the start line for the 50-mile horses. I seriously considered scratching, it was awful weather, but we had driven so far, we decided to ride.</p><p>At the end of the ride, on the final trot-out, Secret felt odd trotting next to me. Looking at her face, I could tell she wasn't herself. Dr. Nick Kohut was vetting us, and when I got back from the trot-out, he said he would need to see it again. He did the rest of her vet check and then called another vet over and I trotted her again. She stumbled as we headed out and then was fine. By the time we were trotting back, the other vet was walking away and Nick gave her a completion. Mary and her horse were watching us trot out, they had finished their check and thought Secret looked "not herself" too.</p><p>The storm wasn't over, so we let the horses rest a couple hours, and then packed them up and headed north. We arrived back at my friend's house, where I had left my truck and trailer, packed myself and Secret back into that one, and then drove the hour home.</p><p>She was understandably tired when we got home, but again, seemed more tired than usual after a ride. I chocked part of it up to two rides in two weeks, both were long trailer rides and the awful weather to camp and ride in at Foxcatcher. </p><p>We had another ride scheduled for two weeks following the Foxcatcher ride, this time a CTR in Vermont that I had previously entered. I emailed the ride manager and dropped her from the 25 to the 15-mile conditioning distance ride instead, figuring we would have an easier ride and then a month off from competition before the Bare Bones endurance ride in mid-May.</p><p>Then, the week of the ride, she still didn't look right, so I scratched her. The very next day, I went to put the horses in after work, and they were at the bottom of the field. She came trotting up the field and was lame. I called my vet, but it was spring shots season, and since she wasn't in emergency mode, waited another two weeks for an appointment.</p><p>My vet came out and I went over the ride history, we did ultrasounds and radiographs on her right front. Nothing wrong. So, he started blocking her and started with the hoof. We went back out on the lunge line and she seemed better with the hoof blocked. We did 10 days of Equioxx, a pain reliever that's less inflammatory on the stomach than bute, and she seemed better but not quite right still.</p><p>Once she finished her meds, she still didn't seem quite right. I talked to my vet again, and he talked to the farrier, and they decided to do a pour-in pad on her next shoeing. In the meantime, the vet had me hacking her lightly so we wouldn't lose all her fitness. We went to Mansfield Hollow to test her out because it was close. She trotted on the pavement and was great and we had a nice ride.</p><p>On June 5th, she got a reset with the pour-in pads. I flew to Maryland shortly after her shoes were done for a conference, and was home for two days later that week before heading to another conference. She looked okay when I put her on the lunge line, and I was starting to feel better about it all. Maybe the vets were right and it was a really deep stone bruise.</p><p>I got home from conference number two and started heading back out on some more conditioning rides (Granville State Forest, above, was one of them). Again, she was doing great, so I sent in my entry for the Horses Across Maine endurance ride on July 1st. I tossed her on a lunge line Thursday night (June 28th), she looked good both ways, so I put her back in her stall and went back to packing.</p><p>Friday morning, Mary arrived to pick us up, and I trotted her up the driveway for Mary. Secret looked good, so we loaded her in the trailer. We got to the ride and settled the horses into the barn, and then hung out for a while. Vetting started and we went over to the ring. There were a ton of rocks in it, which I wasn't excited about (this is Secret, she flinches before she even hits a rock). I trotted her out and Art (Dr. Art King) said she was lame on her right front. Uh oh.</p><p>He looked her over and her shoulder was tight and sensitive; he thought it might have been the long trailer ride (five hours in a slant load) and sent me back to the barn to massage it. I took her back up to the vets twice more, and she got worse each time instead of better. Frustratingly enough, when we trotted her out behind the barns before going back to the vets, she was sound, even on a small tight circle. That was in a grassy area, but it was so odd.</p><p>So, Secret did not start, and I scribed for the vet instead of riding. There really was something wrong with her early in the season, and she was lame. I thought we had it fixed, and it's weird that it seems to come and go. The hoof is hard because there's a lot you can't see, and it could be that we still just don't have it fixed/healed all the way. Her shoulder was sore for whatever reason when I went to vet in too. I also think her heart isn't in it and that I know my horse well enough that I wasn't joking when I said she did the rides because I asked. </p><p>Secret's season is done, I'm not going to ask her again this year, and will instead let her rest and recover, and then pleasure rider her next season. </p><p>I'm disappointed, mostly because I have 95 miles to go before reaching my 1,000 cumulative AERC (American Endurance Ride Conference) milestone, and really wanted to reach that this season. I'm going to try and catch ride at a ride or two, and keep working with Remi in the meantime so that she can be ready for next year. It's definitely a first-world problem, and so true of the "that's horses" statement. I'm glad she's going to be okay, but I'm still a little bummed out about it all.</p><p><i><a href="http://rideeverystride.blogspot.com/2021/11/life-lessons-from-ride-camp.html" target="_blank">Life Lessons From Ridecamp</a> is a series that shares the lessons our horses and ride camp taught me and how they apply to the rest of my life. </i></p>Stacey Stearnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06547504736100974364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785597161680052374.post-77301039517858444652023-06-14T12:53:00.004-04:002023-07-09T13:05:30.426-04:00Life Lessons from Ridecamp: Know Where You're Going<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjacN2x3nGuossuVtYiewV2m8BZbO8fP0U7tYmfsl0XI5gfguKn-H1YbStfGqv9VctFA7Qctk947USLl_vG1IYEvtQodlJBdd0frHErUp_a4uhUvFYo9UPIVsVUN1N_aXM-92jFibyUwXLaoINA7YCJvW_T5PYPQu1roNqDCFvEy7Pg144iLIgzAeklrPg/s960/IMG_6772.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjacN2x3nGuossuVtYiewV2m8BZbO8fP0U7tYmfsl0XI5gfguKn-H1YbStfGqv9VctFA7Qctk947USLl_vG1IYEvtQodlJBdd0frHErUp_a4uhUvFYo9UPIVsVUN1N_aXM-92jFibyUwXLaoINA7YCJvW_T5PYPQu1roNqDCFvEy7Pg144iLIgzAeklrPg/s320/IMG_6772.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Years ago, I was at the Muckleratz CTR in Pennsylvania and went into the electric fence paddock (I unplugged it first) to tube some pre-loading electrolytes into my mare Secret. She’s not a huge fan of electrolytes (or anything in a tube, dewormer, etc.), but I didn’t think too much about it. <div><br /></div><div>The Muckleratz ride camp is a huge field and it's on a hill. They can fit a lot of horse trailers in there. We were at the top of one section of the hill, and there was a huge grassy section in the middle going down the hill, with more horse trailers at the bottom.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Secret was insulted by the electrolyte tubing and ducked under the electric fence gate and ran through the ride camp field to the bottom of the hill. Once she got to the bottom of the hill, she turned around and ran back up the hill to our camp spot. This all happened in a really short period of time – I was heading out after her with a bucket of grain as she was running back up the hill. It happened so fast that I’m not sure anyone else noticed that she was loose. Secret walked right up to me. The moral of the story is to know where you’re going if you’re running away from something. Or you could just run away to prove your point (<a href="https://rideeverystride.blogspot.com/2017/11/life-lessons-from-chestnut-mare.html" target="_blank">a la my chestnut mare</a>). I always hold onto her until well after I’m done with electrolytes now, and preferably will mix her electrolytes into a mash with applesauce and other treats rather than tubing it into her.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sometimes we all run away from something we don't like, without knowing where we are going. It's the fight or flight mechanism, and flight is always an easier default. We can train ourselves to stop and take a few minutes to consider a plan before fight or flight kicks in though.<br /><div><br /></div><div><i><a href="http://rideeverystride.blogspot.com/2021/11/life-lessons-from-ride-camp.html" target="_blank">Life Lessons From Ridecamp</a> is a series that shares the lessons our horses and ride camp taught me and how they apply to the rest of my life. </i><br /><p> </p></div></div></div>Stacey Stearnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06547504736100974364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785597161680052374.post-77971782727820788592023-05-14T10:01:00.003-04:002023-05-14T10:02:04.191-04:00Life Lessons from Ridecamp: Get Off and Walk Every Once in a While<div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmCQJOulz8J7WuRnuHMB69RawZoGWyBwqd5HBwlzcXWgdiBI9UaQ1f6t2VX2bE0Xj2hSlPNyzjlvKyC0wK0dhQkMBfqSRkGtDl9E4yLXa_oUMZEd2jQ-wRoaBw17JOOpTMnzHehl5TFFEhXV9Xpkx2zyHc7MsgReSjZJn3HTH2qO8e-PxetT6-jZXM/s4032/IMG_5242.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmCQJOulz8J7WuRnuHMB69RawZoGWyBwqd5HBwlzcXWgdiBI9UaQ1f6t2VX2bE0Xj2hSlPNyzjlvKyC0wK0dhQkMBfqSRkGtDl9E4yLXa_oUMZEd2jQ-wRoaBw17JOOpTMnzHehl5TFFEhXV9Xpkx2zyHc7MsgReSjZJn3HTH2qO8e-PxetT6-jZXM/s320/IMG_5242.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>One of the rules I love most in endurance rides is that you can get off and lead your horse (or run with it if you are so inclined). In competitive trail rides (CTR), it is illegal to make forward progress unless you are mounted. So, you ride the full ride (there is one disclaimer that if it's dangerous you can get off and lead your horse, but then must remount).<div><br /></div><div>I started riding endurance more with Secret because she needs splint boots on her rear legs to minimize the impacts of interfering. I rode more endurance with John because he was such a handful at the start, but at an endurance ride, I could go out after everyone else, and hand walk him until he settled in, mounting up somewhere a little way down the trail. </div><div><br /></div><div>These may be the reasons why I started riding endurance more and appreciated the sport, but they are not the only benefits of getting off and walking with your horse. Hand walking on the trail is good for you and for the horse. It loosens up the muscles on both you and the horse and gets you (the human) moving in a different way. </div><div><br /></div><div>I think John, my gelding, appreciates it if I get off and walk from time to time, but I know it makes a huge difference for Secret, my mare. If she starts acting tired or timid, I hop off and walk, usually only for about five minutes or so. That brief break is enough to hit the “reset” button for her, and when I mount back up she is re-energized and ready to go. I’ll admit there are times when I’ve gotten off four or five times in a ride to lead her past something scary or give her a break and it starts feeling old. I really just want to get on and stay on. But it makes a positive difference in her attitude, so I’ll keep doing it.</div><div><br /></div><div>This past year, I rode a lot of miles with a friend who has an injured hip. Mary got off and led her horse a lot at the Green Mountain Horse Association 30-mile endurance ride last October because it was painful for her to stay in the saddle. GMHA is a challenging ride, especially at the end of a long season, and Secret appreciated how much walking I did that day. I often jumped off John at that same ride location on the steep uphills, slowly leading him up the hill (he could have gone faster, but he was limited by my pace), to make it a little easier on him because we do so much of our training in flatter areas. <br /><div><p>Anyone who rides will tell you that the rider is working too, despite all the jokes to the contrary. All the same, the horse is working harder than the rider, and it's good for both of us when I get off and walk every once in a while.<br /></p><p><i><a href="http://rideeverystride.blogspot.com/2021/11/life-lessons-from-ride-camp.html" target="_blank">Life Lessons From Ridecamp</a> is a series that shares the lessons our horses and ride camp taught me and how they apply to the rest of my life. </i></p></div></div>Stacey Stearnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06547504736100974364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785597161680052374.post-2771050019142369052023-04-14T09:26:00.005-04:002023-05-14T10:02:20.485-04:00Life Lessons from Ridecamp: Stopping to Help<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIYx8_NJOxRfxmyoCthq7vgDC7qo2CNWYNbHiqc5ypWaT9V9XyEi1oVnVMm_bneQV_ewb8QnFWZuMWeqj4teQmHN9-L5YxRiWUEY3aodSnyJUV7DxpsmPdlNlILdPPC8TFPtF8wCeC-7lfqwS2H4KN5uk5J9JdzLBKbZnTezxlCqMGhGyWw7SiGKOE/s4032/IMG_7252.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIYx8_NJOxRfxmyoCthq7vgDC7qo2CNWYNbHiqc5ypWaT9V9XyEi1oVnVMm_bneQV_ewb8QnFWZuMWeqj4teQmHN9-L5YxRiWUEY3aodSnyJUV7DxpsmPdlNlILdPPC8TFPtF8wCeC-7lfqwS2H4KN5uk5J9JdzLBKbZnTezxlCqMGhGyWw7SiGKOE/s320/IMG_7252.HEIC" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div>I went through a phase, quite a few years ago now, where it seemed like every ride I was on, there were two or three people that needed help. These were competitive trail rides (CTR), not endurance, it was back when I still mostly rode CTR. I have friends who lost an entire ride because someone lost their horse, and they went off to try and find it. The horse was eventually found, but not until days later. <div><br /></div><div>On the first ride where I encountered people that needed help, I stopped once or twice for different people. A couple rides later, I realized that if I helped everyone who needed it, I might never get to ride my own horse. I remember saying to Megan, the friend I was riding with who wanted to stop that she could, but I was going to keep riding. Mind you, none of these were serious situations. A horse lost a shoe or hoof boot. Someone was adjusting tack. A bathroom stop. Some people say you should always stop because it may be your turn next. </div><div><br /></div><div>Whatever all these situations were, all could be handled by the rider and their own companion. If we always stop to help others, we have no energy left to help ourselves. It’s that over-used cliché, put your own oxygen mask on before helping others. I’m a people pleaser by nature, so I need to constantly remind myself of this. </div><div><br /></div><div>There have been a couple of rides where I really needed help. Once, my stirrup leather broke. The other riders couldn’t do anything about it. They knew it and I knew it, so they kept riding. I made my sponge rope work until my friend Linda, who wasn’t riding, caught up to me with a new stirrup leather. Another time, my friend fell off her horse and into a brook. My horse fell into the brook on the other side when some other riders came cantering up around a corner on us and he turned to look and see what was going on. We probably should have had help, but we really didn’t need it that day (fortunately). </div><div><br /></div><div>Megan and my horse were fine. We weren’t sure of it at the time, but after a few minutes, we knew everything was okay. One time that I did help was when Berit’s horse dumped her and came cantering down the trail without her when we were riding in New Jersey. We were in a long, flat section, so could see the horse coming from a bit back. When we realized which horse it was, I dismounted, because I knew my gelding didn’t like that horse at all (she had tried riding with us earlier and it didn’t work). I have a knack for catching loose horses (Maine and this one in New Jersey – I’ve only done it twice but have a reputation for being able to catch them on the fly now). It was easier to lead Megan’s horse and my horse than this one and mine though, so gave it to her and took Minnie until we found Berit again. </div><div><br /></div><div>I was on another endurance ride, and someone was seriously injured. By the time Rhonda, the person I was riding with, and I, got to the place where the other rider had fallen off, the ambulance was gone, and horse trailer was there for the horse. We could see the incident site from a bit back on the dirt road, so stopped trotting and walked. When we got to the remaining people and horse, we asked if there was anything we could do to help, and chatted with the husband, who was loading the horse. They had everything under control by then, so we kept going but didn’t pick up the trot again until we got off that road (a short distance away). </div><div><br /></div><div>It's important to help others, and in the last incident, we obviously would have stayed and helped if needed. Ride managers will give you your time back if you stop and help too, although I do need to reread the rule book on this section. The thing is, not every situation calls for help. I know I’m more independent than a lot of other people, but I’ve also learned the hard way that I need to protect my own horse and my own time too. Protecting my own time isn’t just something I have to work on at endurance rides, it’s a bit of a theme at work and in other parts of my life too. I find it’s easier to practice at endurance rides though, because I want to protect my horse and its ride too. </div><div><br /></div><div>The moral of this story, at least for me, is that each situation needs to be judged on its own, with context. I will stop if needed, but in many cases, especially if someone is fine, I’m going to keep riding and see you further down the trail.
</div><div><br /></div><div><i><a href="http://rideeverystride.blogspot.com/2021/11/life-lessons-from-ride-camp.html" target="_blank">Life Lessons From Ridecamp</a> is a series that shares the lessons our horses and ride camp taught me and how they apply to the rest of my life. </i></div>Stacey Stearnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06547504736100974364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785597161680052374.post-2036537627401838312023-03-11T10:33:00.003-05:002023-03-11T10:33:21.639-05:00Life Lessons from Ridecamp: How Far We've Come<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYZEU6P3HUJxdHldVdOyUmVzChZ8dKrLv7KMFtFT4qfAZo4Nf1IuC_zbw_LFLkMHTBWbGAiK2ZFmL4w_x8VSzef7FuYvzmToqbkfoAPUPl3t1LqOGNysjpH6FD8_-wBEHqeG3XbSvvsNpPo0RhySx4FJp1N36NshysDexo3KNMzU6RewJG5jX_Cw6-/s960/Jersey%20trails%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYZEU6P3HUJxdHldVdOyUmVzChZ8dKrLv7KMFtFT4qfAZo4Nf1IuC_zbw_LFLkMHTBWbGAiK2ZFmL4w_x8VSzef7FuYvzmToqbkfoAPUPl3t1LqOGNysjpH6FD8_-wBEHqeG3XbSvvsNpPo0RhySx4FJp1N36NshysDexo3KNMzU6RewJG5jX_Cw6-/s320/Jersey%20trails%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riding Kerry Killarney at a New Jersey competitive trail ride (CTR) in 2011. Photo credit: Megan Thompson</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Matchbox Twenty has a song, <i>How Far We've Come</i>, and some of the lyrics go:</p><p><span jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Oh well, I guess we're gonna find out</span><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Let's see how far we've come</span></p><p>I'm working on another project, and it includes going through the archives of some of my past writing, way back to 2011. That feels like a lifetime ago, and in some respects, it was. But, the simple act of going back over the last decade-plus of my writing has also shown how far I have come. </p><p>This, in turn, gave me pause to reflect on my riding over the past decade-plus too. My riding has come just as far. We're often so focused on the future, or trying to be mindful and in the present, that we fail to look back and reflect on our progress. We shouldn't get stuck or mired in the past, but some simple reflection is often the encouragement we need to show that we are on the right track, have made incredible progress, and are doing good things with our lives. </p><p>Looking back on the equestrian I was and the equestrian I've become - it's been a long, winding, and productive journey in that respect too. I've come a long way and so have my horses. There are many adages about creating not competing, and only competing with ourselves, among others. Taking the time to reflect is all the inspiration we need to live and breathe these adages, and it also helps us celebrate all the wins and life lessons along the way.</p><p>In that spirit, the photo above is of Kerry Killarney (aka John) and me at the Jersey Devil Competitive Trail Ride in October of 2011. Let's see how far we've come.</p><p><i><a href="http://rideeverystride.blogspot.com/2021/11/life-lessons-from-ride-camp.html" target="_blank">Life Lessons From Ridecamp</a> is a series that shares the lessons our horses and ride camp taught me and how they apply to the rest of my life. </i></p>Stacey Stearnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06547504736100974364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785597161680052374.post-59786267790474968042023-02-19T16:22:00.002-05:002023-02-19T16:22:43.749-05:00Life Lessons from Ridecamp: EDPP and Moving Freely – Meeting Our Basic Needs<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE57JseZqqjTd69NT2k1hpdIz8WYFYW5cM_XBDtcyzaCw0pw1nDO45sUqylLPKX4Zqu-E_vjWzOkzQfjGWUt3hRwp-erdf6cTGyFLR0Pc9pmvwUI2MbadFkDoL4ulEoJWDgrmV0Iv1J_gtJHsjtHLlCXOLngnFd-M1UXHd9eyw0XfH8x9NF10XbInl/s1024/PP2_3512.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE57JseZqqjTd69NT2k1hpdIz8WYFYW5cM_XBDtcyzaCw0pw1nDO45sUqylLPKX4Zqu-E_vjWzOkzQfjGWUt3hRwp-erdf6cTGyFLR0Pc9pmvwUI2MbadFkDoL4ulEoJWDgrmV0Iv1J_gtJHsjtHLlCXOLngnFd-M1UXHd9eyw0XfH8x9NF10XbInl/s320/PP2_3512.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crossing the Saco River - Pine Tree 2022. Photo: Clowater Art & Photography</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Eating, drinking, pooping, peeing (EDPP), and moving freely are the basic needs of our endurance horses and are necessary to be deemed “fit to continue” – they are also basic needs for us as riders. I can’t remember which endurance ride I first heard Dr. Art King, one of our regular veterinarians say this at, I think maybe Pine Tree in 2011 at the North Waterford Fairgrounds in Maine. He stated, “Your horse should be eating, drinking, pooping, and peeing. If it’s not, tell us right away, we have a problem and need to fix it. You should also be EDPP. If you’re not, don’t tell me, but fix it.” <div><br /></div><div>EDPP are the necessities of life – along with sleep and rest. If we’re not healthy and taking care of ourselves we can’t do everything else that we want to do. That basic level of health is imperative. We can add in sleep, we all know how important it is, but how often do we make it a priority? Maybe you already do, and if so, kudos. It took me a little longer to make sleep the priority it really needs to be but sleep and EDPP form our foundations. Monitor EDPP and the other pieces start falling into place. </div><div><br /></div><div>Here's the thing though, when we get stressed out or tired, it’s easy to sacrifice our health first, especially sleep. I’m guilty of this more often than I care to admit. I’ve had enough health issues and scares that I should know better by now, but it’s easy to get lax in our self-care (and let’s face it, that word has some negative connotations and can make us feel privileged and spoiled too). </div><div><br /></div><div>But we would never push our horses beyond their limits (at least I hope you wouldn’t). We alert the ride veterinarians at even the slightest little issue. We need to take as good of care of ourselves as we do of our horses. I was recently catching up on episodes of the Greg McKeown podcast and listened to Episode 158: One Decision that Makes 1000. In it, Greg and his wife Anna talk about protecting the asset of our own health and it was a good reminder for me that I need to take care of myself too. Yes, my horse needs to be EDPP and move freely, and the same goes for me and all my friends as well. </div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, just when we start remembering all these things, something else comes up. We were at the hold on the Pine Tree endurance ride (maybe in 2017 this time – at Fryeburg Fairgrounds in Maine, but the hold is at a covered bridge). Dr. King asked if someone had some sunscreen he could borrow, and we all blankly stared at each other and then at him. That set off another lecture and guess what, I know at least a couple of riders that throw sunscreen in their hold bags now.<br /><p><i><a href="http://rideeverystride.blogspot.com/2021/11/life-lessons-from-ride-camp.html" target="_blank">Life Lessons From Ridecamp</a> is a series that shares the lessons our horses and ride camp taught me and how they apply to the rest of my life. </i></p></div>Stacey Stearnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06547504736100974364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785597161680052374.post-40368094335377161892023-01-17T16:06:00.000-05:002023-02-19T16:07:03.848-05:00Life Lessons from Ridecamp: Horses I Have Loved - Part Two<p>I recently wrote about horses I have loved while traveling, and the hoofprints they left on my heart. It goes without saying - but should be said anyway - that none of this would be possible without my own horses that I have loved, and those that shaped my early years.</p><p>Let's start at the very beginning, with Lucky, my first pony. He was a red and white pony, and I remember walking through the field (in my memory, it's up the road, I'm really not sure which is correct) talking to my mom and sister about what to name the pony. I said we should call him Lucky because we were lucky to have him. The name stuck. We rode and drove the pony, and he was cheeky the way any good pony was. I remember him flipping the cart by taking a tight turn when we were driving him, or biting my cousin's jacket (who was leading him) when he was "done" giving pony rides, and him stomping on my sister's foot in the barn. That pony helped shape the equestrian I would become.</p><p>I started taking riding lessons in April (Snow's April Magic, a chestnut Morgan mare owned by Sarah Brander) when I was eight. I needed "something" and my parents thought horses might be it for me (you probably figured the answer to that one out already). I loved April and will always be appreciative to Sarah for sharing her horse with me. Each week, I went to Sarah's house in Tolland and continued learning to ride on April, moving from the lunge line to riding on my own.</p><p>Next came Buckshot and Medallion (Bennfield's Buckshot and Legelan's Medallion to be exact) a pair of older Morgan geldings I was given when their owners retired to Florida. Chick and Gay were wonderful and semi-adopted me as an honorary grandchild as well. Buckshot was a solid citizen that never put a foot wrong (or an ear forward). Medallion was the mischievous chestnut gelding who was always looking for an advantage. Buckshot was ground-struck by lightning when I was in third grade. We were all at our local elementary school, practicing for the school play, my mom was there with us, and dad was milking cows. The horses were on their own when the storm came up unexpectedly. That was the day we met Dr. Mike Reilly, and Connecticut Equine Clinic has been our equine veterinarian ever since. Buckshot spent an entire summer rehabilitating, walking from memory, and using the walls for balance. He was a testament to his bloodlines, training, and willpower. </p><p>Needless to say, although he lived many more years, he did not become my walk-trot horse as intended. Instead, I rode Medallion, and he challenged me every step of the way and taught me a lot too. The frustration level was sometimes high with him though, and eventually, he joined Buckshot as a happy retiree in the backfield and I moved on to another horse.</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDi-DUiDxsIljCf-HIqNNstmfMcmASgOoCYLnU05j5nzpRUblGZ3YxoEEGLxgOnmnO1cVt3aXdPu2Uh15BSkajKRWMhvwP61sf-wLDr4gM07hyW-cNZ2zhDpQGG1wKHUvs1RSQdNbmQudwRr5TjIVii4LGd_g99aMyG2eol4e6e-oqT1Sy3iv6WkwM/s1376/Screenshot%202023-02-19%20at%204.05.04%20PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1376" data-original-width="1072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDi-DUiDxsIljCf-HIqNNstmfMcmASgOoCYLnU05j5nzpRUblGZ3YxoEEGLxgOnmnO1cVt3aXdPu2Uh15BSkajKRWMhvwP61sf-wLDr4gM07hyW-cNZ2zhDpQGG1wKHUvs1RSQdNbmQudwRr5TjIVii4LGd_g99aMyG2eol4e6e-oqT1Sy3iv6WkwM/s320/Screenshot%202023-02-19%20at%204.05.04%20PM.png" width="249" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rue with my sister Heidi and me at the New England Morgan Youth of the Year Contest</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Finally, there was Rue (Fiddler's Ruffle), a Morgan mare that my mom and I found at the tack shop in North Windham after trying around 30 horses throughout New England. She came in on a trade, and we went to pick up something, and Mr. Segar had recently gotten her. He often had me hop on a new horse so that he could see what it would do, and I got on Rue and wouldn't get off. We brought her home on a two-week trial and then bought her. I absolutely loved that horse and have so many wonderful memories with her. She really helped restore my confidence and the joy of riding after so many challenging years with Medallion and then Gabby (another Morgan mare, and a story for another day). Rue lived the rest of her life at my parents' barn and will forever hold a special place in my heart.</p><p>I bought Lilac as a college graduation present for myself, and then are the horses I currently have. These all deserve a blog post of their own though. Each of these special horses left hoofprints on my heart and shaped the equestrian I am today.</p><p><i><a href="http://rideeverystride.blogspot.com/2021/11/life-lessons-from-ride-camp.html" target="_blank">Life Lessons From Ridecamp</a> is a series that shares the lessons our horses and ride camp taught me and how they apply to the rest of my life. </i></p>Stacey Stearnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06547504736100974364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785597161680052374.post-71164888907791745702022-11-17T16:32:00.004-05:002022-11-17T16:32:00.161-05:00Life Lessons from Ridecamp: We Rarely Write Our Own Endings<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMqgqL_xna7pVzWKt5jXGtYApHaw03tuZNf3xuX9jjBJFABqW-Lg9595BhrfKug8YUOrfYWdKQ_J9MvGGYqSZh1EtATDfd_aSsE_6u4RrqFFn9YGl0F2NufiWfr5FMWmKEAqOzxcDxutjciXLbaTHfEhMir9f_mGJ2_9qzVkmLcIZtvH10vALCXhx3/s3264/IMG_6581.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMqgqL_xna7pVzWKt5jXGtYApHaw03tuZNf3xuX9jjBJFABqW-Lg9595BhrfKug8YUOrfYWdKQ_J9MvGGYqSZh1EtATDfd_aSsE_6u4RrqFFn9YGl0F2NufiWfr5FMWmKEAqOzxcDxutjciXLbaTHfEhMir9f_mGJ2_9qzVkmLcIZtvH10vALCXhx3/s320/IMG_6581.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riding in Vermont in 2019.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><i><br /></i></p><p><i>I originally wrote this post on some notebook paper in my home office on April 23, 2022. I wasn't ready to share it outside my immediate circle then, but have come to terms with this ending.</i></p><p>As much as we would love to spend our time envisioning what our endings will be, we rarely get to write these for ourselves. Most of the time, the ending is out of our control and we are adapting and changing our plans based on the circumstances that come our way.</p><p>John, my heart horse, that has been with me since he was nine months old won't be competing anymore. He had a high suspensory injury in 2019. We did shock wave therapy and he was set to compete again in 2020. We managed three rides in the midst of the pandemic and he earned his <a href="https://rideeverystride.blogspot.com/2021/11/life-lessons-from-ridecamp-horse-doesnt.html" target="_blank">1,000 miles</a> with the Eastern Competitive Trail Ride Association. </p><p>Then, last year (2021), he slipped in the mud badly at an endurance ride in New York and came up lame on that leg again. I brought him home and gave him the rest of the year off. I was on the fence about whether I would try one more competition with him or not, just to end his career on a positive note.</p><p>Ten days ago (April 13, 2022), on another muddy day, he came in from the pasture lame. On the same hind leg. The short walk from his pasture to his stall was obviously painful and I let him take himself in, at his own pace. I watched the slow progress. When I went into the stall to look, the stifle on that leg was swollen. My guess was he slipped in the mud and injured it while playing with his pasture mates, or being exuberant and full of life. The stifle is a complex joint, and equivalent to the human knee. </p><p>That moment was the end of his competitive career. Two days later (April 15th), he was still a little stiff but much better. The rest of the month of April was a series of two steps forward and two steps back. For the most part, he was happy and his usual self. </p><p>It was a heartbreaking spring for me. You never want to see your horse injured. I was also sad that it was the end of his competitive career and it didn't end the way I wanted it to. In truth, I had no idea how I expected it all to end, but I knew this wasn't it. There was a part of me that was also reminding myself that he was still here and that counted for a lot too. We all know that those "at least" statements rarely offer much consolation though.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Ai1b1_4bb3BUg3CRj0IQ0l894RF08JpuA2elyTSZSzrNOe-_BLgvslCmZ8WM9t5lu_KyI1OeAAqwzIdTRT403BsAxpHfp4A7bmVPxL2PAyZtZBSzbwm8zgKmfQIX0o0GT4Zzw8K6KNB5nc4PGSwQOYMRrnAg7OJYTzRvRmUyRu5gXohTnPpSJlN4/s4032/IMG_6111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Ai1b1_4bb3BUg3CRj0IQ0l894RF08JpuA2elyTSZSzrNOe-_BLgvslCmZ8WM9t5lu_KyI1OeAAqwzIdTRT403BsAxpHfp4A7bmVPxL2PAyZtZBSzbwm8zgKmfQIX0o0GT4Zzw8K6KNB5nc4PGSwQOYMRrnAg7OJYTzRvRmUyRu5gXohTnPpSJlN4/s320/IMG_6111.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John at home.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I mourned the loss of the option to compete with him, but in truth, I doubt he cares. Yes, he gets mad when the trailer leaves without him, but there are pleasure rides to go to, pony rides to give nieces and nephews, and grass to eat. We don't get to write the ending, but we can react to our circumstances and make it as positive today as we can.</p><p><i><a href="http://rideeverystride.blogspot.com/2021/11/life-lessons-from-ride-camp.html" target="_blank">Life Lessons From Ridecamp</a> is a series that shares the lessons our horses and ride camp taught me and how they apply to the rest of my life. </i></p>Stacey Stearnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06547504736100974364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785597161680052374.post-91740602128472285082022-11-13T12:31:00.004-05:002022-11-13T16:32:22.348-05:00Life Lessons from Ridecamp: Horses I Have Loved<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5UKcTrxJ1PwbzqWQ4doqLQBnCo2u2pxESiGku-oZd5S-jIlmpoPUeHtfoR4xN9OKp7yaGYku5Uyz0-H7D5EStLnOAadHc5WzcfCaOPIAELg_XD6cFPesPlxWwsjtDRmWFrCOlOjcsGOOmoB7KhRyF4cjqaBCgV_ELffwrth3onLRxdpoRzq4f3TGE/s2048/group%20on%20the%20moors.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5UKcTrxJ1PwbzqWQ4doqLQBnCo2u2pxESiGku-oZd5S-jIlmpoPUeHtfoR4xN9OKp7yaGYku5Uyz0-H7D5EStLnOAadHc5WzcfCaOPIAELg_XD6cFPesPlxWwsjtDRmWFrCOlOjcsGOOmoB7KhRyF4cjqaBCgV_ELffwrth3onLRxdpoRzq4f3TGE/s320/group%20on%20the%20moors.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Bob Prior, Liberty Trails<br /><div style="text-align: left;">There's something magical about travel, it inspires us and changes us. People return from a trip and strive to be more like the person they were while away. And yet, there is something that cannot be replicated at home, no matter how hard we try. Removing us from our comfort zone, the habits and stressors of everyday life make it easier to be the best version of ourselves while traveling.</div></td></tr></tbody></table><p>It's also true that we forge deep bonds with people we meet while traveling that are difficult to continue or replicate once home. The shared experiences, the connection, and the glimpse of the person we want to be all help us form those deep if temporary, bonds. That being said, we retain a certain sense of fondness that never goes away for those we shared those experiences with.</p><p>The same is true for the horses we meet along the way. I've ridden in some incredible places over the years, and I'm grateful for the opportunities that I've had. Some of the horses that I've ridden are mere photos in an album, the guest string horse at the ranch in Montana, another at the ranch in Arizona, and yet a few more from Peru and Chile (Patagonia). These were all one-off rides though, a quick (two to four-hour) trail ride I added in on at <a href="https://rideeverystride.blogspot.com/2022/05/riding-on-vacation-exploring-world.html" target="_blank">another destination</a> while traveling for another purpose. I always try to add a trail ride in as it's one of my favorite ways to see the world.</p><p>There are other horses though, those that I've ridden while riding somewhere else that quickly claimed a spot in my heart. These horses changed me like some of my fellow travelers from some of the incredible trips I've taken and are forever etched in a place in my heart. These are the horses that I have loved because of the role they've played in my story.</p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijkcizumFuFh2mWv4SpxuisNw39aHUzfISPbDPPc6FEuXgXy82qnt6y-xbd2lyQzB9DQvbg4lqTTV66GOtFNf-FohyEftFHBs-oUTkKQndIjnlEjsqWQsrErp26Edu2hdfeHkIBqmPjtczO04-2u5wAO6W_UWD0rDEGVlsP2JAZRgfLelTeHdgDiTZ/s3264/With%20Wilma_LucyHigginson%20photo.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijkcizumFuFh2mWv4SpxuisNw39aHUzfISPbDPPc6FEuXgXy82qnt6y-xbd2lyQzB9DQvbg4lqTTV66GOtFNf-FohyEftFHBs-oUTkKQndIjnlEjsqWQsrErp26Edu2hdfeHkIBqmPjtczO04-2u5wAO6W_UWD0rDEGVlsP2JAZRgfLelTeHdgDiTZ/s320/With%20Wilma_LucyHigginson%20photo.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wilma and me in 2018. <br />Photo: Lucy Higginson</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Wilma was the first horse I loved. I spent two days riding her at the <a href="https://liberty-trails.com/">Dartmoor Derby</a> in 2018. Roo (aka Rachel, my guide) joked that I had an electric bottom because Wilma never held still, she always wanted to go. Horses are sensitive, and this one picked up on my mode of operation quickly. We covered between 30 and 40 miles together, Wilma and I, and it's those miles in the saddle that helped forge the bond. We rode to the house that was used to film War Horse in an incredible and remote section of Dartmoor. We took in the wind-swept moors from all sorts of places. She helped me fulfill a dream four years in the making. I loved and appreciated her for that. <p></p><p>Next, came Tuff. I rode him in 2021 at <a href="https://www.silverspurranchidaho.com/" target="_blank">Silver Spur Ranch</a> on their horse drive. We spent four days chasing their herd of horses about 20 miles a day. It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience that my friend Laine had been encouraging me to experience for a long time. She goes every year, and similar to the Dartmoor Derby, it had been on my list, but the actual "get it done," was slow to materialize. I'm grateful to Laine for her encouragement and that I finally went. The guides assigned us all horses on the first day, the horses were already tacked up, and they worked their way through the assembled horses, assigning riders to them. There were some repeat riders, like Laine and Ed, who had their previous horses by default. I was assigned a horse near the end, and the guide asked me if I wanted to ride Tuff, and I said, sure, why not. He pointed out a small paint gelding, who although only maybe 15 hands was sturdy. I asked another guide what I needed to know about him, and she said that he spooked easily. </p><p>I spent four days riding Tuff, and he lived up to his reputation of spooking easily (I freaked him out on the </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHMtWAy-Q_QBc4fVHHrBOKll-3Fp87uI5XPdC_oeE_34ILbnUyxcvQ2U4R389DXEBrWuBObpCVTUSySdT33imy7_M2huGoE5vWebdFSPJZV2UQXGjGJxD0-zp9hElcrBPvX4wKBS8BWQd-qLFXEfivINmmTBiU1616n0ROpCLq_-VZy7wbm3kVfbMI/s4032/Tuff%20and%20me.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHMtWAy-Q_QBc4fVHHrBOKll-3Fp87uI5XPdC_oeE_34ILbnUyxcvQ2U4R389DXEBrWuBObpCVTUSySdT33imy7_M2huGoE5vWebdFSPJZV2UQXGjGJxD0-zp9hElcrBPvX4wKBS8BWQd-qLFXEfivINmmTBiU1616n0ROpCLq_-VZy7wbm3kVfbMI/s320/Tuff%20and%20me.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tuff and me in 2021.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> first day by dropping my phone and then hitting my rain jacket with my leg as I was dismounting to pick it up). He also had an epic spook on day four as we galloped up a hill in the sagebrush, ahead of the rest of our team. To this day, I'm not sure what he spooked at, but I did receive quite a few compliments on my good seat and staying with him. <p></p><p>That little horse exemplified Tuff. We rode some terrain, including up the side of a mountain to get the herd on the last morning - an ascent and descent that tested me thoroughly as a rider, and left half our group waiting down below for us, not feeling up to the challenge. I'm not sure how helpful I was to the guides up there on the side of that mountain either. Eventually, I stopped trying, gave Tuff his head - he knew what we needed to do - and sat there while he got us back in the action and then down the mountain. I could imagine riding that horse in endurance, and how easily he would sail through the rides given what he was asked to do at the ranch, and handled without issue. </p><p>This year, I headed back to Dartmoor, England to ride the Dartmoor Derby one more time. It was the last time she was holding the ride (I found out when I got there that they are changing the format and name, but it will be similar trails, etc.). Unfortunately, Wilma had been sold by this point, and the barn that was supposed to supply the horses had something come up. So, they changed the format for us, and we were supposed to ride a different horse based out of a different location each day. The first day, I rode Lola, and while she was a nice mare, we didn't exactly click. Still, it was a gorgeous ride and I was happy.</p><p>On day two, my group headed to the prison farm, where we were <a href="https://rideeverystride.blogspot.com/2022/04/dartmoor-derby-uk-horse-riding-weekend.html" target="_blank">based in 2018</a> (the farm is located just below Dartmoor Prison, and is leased by a local farmer). There was a gorgeous big bay gelding in the door of the barn when we got there, and I liked him immediately. Two different groups were riding out of that location, so we patiently waited for our assigned horses. When they called me over, I was riding the big bay, and his name was Harry. I couldn't believe my luck. I asked his owner, Emma, what I needed to know. She said that he thought about spooking but if you told him not to think about it, he went back to work. She also said that if I didn't ride near the front, I would be there soon. I laughed and mounted up. </p><p>Harry is an eventer. He is tall, powerful, and has a lot of scope. Once everyone was settled, we headed out on the trail. We walked to the moors and then did a stretch of trot, followed by a stretch of canter so we could all become acquainted with our horses. Harry had a huge, ground-covering, and springy stride, much different than my horses at home or Lola the previous day. I wondered what I had gotten myself into. On the second canter stretch, I found my rhythm with Harry and was in heaven. Riding that horse was like floating on the air. All I had to do was tell him "go," and we were off, with me moving up into a two-point position. It was exhilarating and the happiest I've been on a horse in awhile (with complete love and respect to my horses). </p><p>I was sad when the farm came back into view, and my day with Harry was over. I could have ridden that horse forever. Then, Amy, our guide told us as we were giving our horses back to their owners and grooms, that the prison farm was our base for day three too, and we would probably get the same horses again the next day. The word "probably" turned into a tormenter for me. It was worse knowing that I might be able to ride Harry again and have it taken away then accepting the fact (like the original plan) of having three different horses. I stewed over it and eventually asked Elaine (owner/founder) at dinner if I could ride him again the next day. She told me not to worry, but I worried anyway.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9gHIxpSZNI-vInSp14r8N9i6WtGC9Ml4vt2lpuWfYuR3sIEWtKudB9ui1fsVJ5DPSuVZRq9qOIL9JY3QZG4hGfUyy_T3-dzg17KE7ieX1wPgXGW12LW2L4F9QJD1oXibrRKLzklJgBwm6VMDHGISLc-6grKcP_XC3MwDQU7DW8qrNbr13ZP3a0XBM/s2048/Harry%20and%20me.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9gHIxpSZNI-vInSp14r8N9i6WtGC9Ml4vt2lpuWfYuR3sIEWtKudB9ui1fsVJ5DPSuVZRq9qOIL9JY3QZG4hGfUyy_T3-dzg17KE7ieX1wPgXGW12LW2L4F9QJD1oXibrRKLzklJgBwm6VMDHGISLc-6grKcP_XC3MwDQU7DW8qrNbr13ZP3a0XBM/s320/Harry%20and%20me.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harry and me in 2022. Photo: Bob Prior, Liberty Trails</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Day three came and I got my wish - I was riding Harry again for the second day. Day two on Harry was just as fantastic as day one and that horse etched himself even deeper in my heart. We spent another 20 or so miles together, and it was exhilarating and fun as the day before. </p><p>At the end of the day, when I returned him to Emma, his owner, I told her if she ever needed to sell Harry, to let me know. He's a fantastic horse, and she loves him, so the statement didn't seem like it would matter much. And, I have three fantastic riding horses at home that I adore. I was only half joking when I told her that though, I truly loved her horse too. Riding Harry showed me the pure joy that comes with a horse that truly loves and excels at his job. John and Secret enjoy the trails and compete happily (and successfully) but with a different level of joy. I feel like they do it more because I want to and they love me. Harry ate up the ground as we crossed the moors for the sheer joy of it. The photo above, taken during the lunch stop on day one of riding Harry reminds me of just how happy I was.</p><p>Riding Harry also reminded me of all the horses I've loved before and the experiences I've had because of their generosity and talent (as well as that of the people that own them). Some horses leave footprints in your heart and Wilma, Tuff, and Harry all did that for me. I talked to another woman that rode Wilma while we were riding Dartmoor this year. Katie was my lodge mate and in my riding group. She loved Wilma just as much as I did. My friends Laine and Ed insist on riding the same horses every year when they return to Silver Spur Ranch, and when it was time for Ed's horse, Doc, to retire at the end of the 2021 season, they bought him and had him shipped home to Massachusetts. </p><p>One of my fellow riders asked me if I would buy Tuff as we were driving away from the ranch, and headed back to the airport. My heart was sad as we were leaving; I didn't want the experience to end. I told her no, it wouldn't be fair to take a horse that was used to running free in a herd and being ridden in such a vast expanse and put him in my small herd, even with all the miles I ride, knowing that he would be competing with other horses needing work and one rider with a busy schedule.</p><p>I'm not sure if the magic I felt while riding all of these horses would be the same at home as it was while riding them in their respective locations. I do know that I had some incredible and magical moments in the saddle with them, and for that reason, they'll always be on the list of horses I have loved.</p><p><i><a href="http://rideeverystride.blogspot.com/2021/11/life-lessons-from-ride-camp.html" target="_blank">Life Lessons From Ridecamp</a> is a series that shares the lessons our horses and ride camp taught me and how they apply to the rest of my life. </i></p>Stacey Stearnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06547504736100974364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785597161680052374.post-83534190261615057242022-09-07T14:43:00.003-04:002022-09-07T14:43:00.159-04:00Life Lessons from Ridecamp: Biltmore Endurance Ride and Realizing a Dream<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi878-LC1xMmopoXdlh5U7VARAbz5WZ1yKmlARwuTJb5zt6XIV14gvdppe2oa7xYYHn_MzAKRNV1TMBoilaRpvVDzWhk9VJ7yi1d5b8MdxG1TM109-pOz8veRS9Kc5EGVT6avfEghWo3kBkSGCOHsyGBZQAw7RefFUDMEK8r80sy8YRm16cim7YBGXE/s2048/ears%20and%20biltmore%20house.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi878-LC1xMmopoXdlh5U7VARAbz5WZ1yKmlARwuTJb5zt6XIV14gvdppe2oa7xYYHn_MzAKRNV1TMBoilaRpvVDzWhk9VJ7yi1d5b8MdxG1TM109-pOz8veRS9Kc5EGVT6avfEghWo3kBkSGCOHsyGBZQAw7RefFUDMEK8r80sy8YRm16cim7YBGXE/s320/ears%20and%20biltmore%20house.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking through the ears at Biltmore House.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I've been dreaming about riding the Biltmore Endurance Ride for a long time. I had never visited the famous estate, despite many trips to North Carolina. I also saw enticing photos and ride reports in the monthly Endurance News, as well as the listings of the upcoming rides they were holding there. But that's a long trip with a horse trailer from Connecticut, so the dream of riding Biltmore was put on the back burner, and I kept my ride schedule full with offerings closer to home.<p></p><p>Then, a few of my equestrian friends moved down to North Carolina, horses in tow. My friend Jen and I started discussing Biltmore, and she mentioned that they only lived a few hours away now. Her daughter was off at college, and she offered that I could use her horse, and ride with her and her younger daughter.</p><p>So, I used up my airline miles and booked a flight for the May 2022 Biltmore endurance ride. I flew into Charlotte and then drove a couple hours over to the Asheville area, it was a trek I was familiar with from my 2018 experience at the <a href="https://rideeverystride.blogspot.com/2022/04/three-magical-days-at-world-equestrian.html" target="_blank">World Equestrian Games</a>. The skies opened up as I drove to Biltmore, and I felt bad for the horses and riders out on the trail that day, the rain was bucketing down.</p><p>I arrived at camp and found my friends. They had arrived as the rain started and just stayed in the truck until it stopped, and then started setting up the paddocks. We took the horses up to vet inand stopped to visit some friends along the way. Once the horses were vetted in, we tacked up and rode for a mile so that I could try Maddie out and make sure the stirrups were the right length, I'd never ridden her before. </p><p>We woke to a beautiful sunrise on ride morning, although there was a lingering threat of more rain, so we all grabbed a rain jacket and headed out. This was only my second time competing on a horse that wasn't mine, and I appreciated the calm confidence, and ready-to-go attitude that Maddie approached the day with. She didn't waste any energy getting excited and instead was completely focused on getting down the trail. </p><p>I pointed her in the right direction and basically hit the cruise control button. She eagerly trotted down the trail, passed a few other horses, and settled in at a steady pace. Ride camp was in large fields at the back of the estate, and we trotted up the dirt roads, past the horse paddocks, and through more fields before heading into the woods.</p><p>Soon enough, we were climbing a hill and then the Biltmore Estate came into view. I told Jen and her other daughter that it didn't matter what happened for the rest of the ride, I was happy. That was only half-true - I always want to finish with a sound and happy horse and earn our miles, but riding up over the hill and seeing the "house" is an incredible experience. We kept going, and the beauty of the estate was truly spectacular. It helped that we had three fit and happy horses that easily cruised through the 25 miles.</p><p>On the way back to ride camp and the halfway vet check, we climbed the hill with the house again and took a few photos. We proceeded back on the same route, vetted the horses through, spent our hold time with them and us refueling, and then went back out for the second and shorter loop. The horses again climbed the hills and breezed through the trails happily and all three of us completed the ride, tying for 16th place and earning third place team. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOLgp3vTMdGsS0njRq7ZbqycLb2RFZasAHrz_hpCLomU4dSeytr3QGYjXhWfXW3mKG6q0ZGLpjXHN5ipcZC04Wxo2HBuH80F3KaAK-U94eBv9dYiFxroxvxVhLi-r0oUk871luzxR1XiEBVNdU0UZkuDQN6LWjSpjpZjpjG-11N8NzIA_2OyngirJ-/s2048/Biltmore%20view.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOLgp3vTMdGsS0njRq7ZbqycLb2RFZasAHrz_hpCLomU4dSeytr3QGYjXhWfXW3mKG6q0ZGLpjXHN5ipcZC04Wxo2HBuH80F3KaAK-U94eBv9dYiFxroxvxVhLi-r0oUk871luzxR1XiEBVNdU0UZkuDQN6LWjSpjpZjpjG-11N8NzIA_2OyngirJ-/s320/Biltmore%20view.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alex and I at the overlook to Biltmore House.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfRGa3WXEkJ2HX88Pnohrxpq5ChVtB_zI-xVZpB72mIBtmi9B9MEg1ogsFAQ8e-2PVDd_xOG3mjRyoErn-tM-JrCnKMdsptA86Ctw768xf_zhrTRKUWCdx_b1dOKhkrAh6jiGFaeFPspP5FGmR8QZ2neGgPd5amqJnHrc73GdVLcy82tVVfLSoH_EY/s2048/Biltmore%20vineyard.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfRGa3WXEkJ2HX88Pnohrxpq5ChVtB_zI-xVZpB72mIBtmi9B9MEg1ogsFAQ8e-2PVDd_xOG3mjRyoErn-tM-JrCnKMdsptA86Ctw768xf_zhrTRKUWCdx_b1dOKhkrAh6jiGFaeFPspP5FGmR8QZ2neGgPd5amqJnHrc73GdVLcy82tVVfLSoH_EY/s320/Biltmore%20vineyard.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riding through the Biltmore vineyard.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhADNFf0e6jAhSdoe3npt_6HjhIlNvvj7p7tvTBWbjaSie6CEI_wHB98yngT-LT7WrVh-ZgzZt0ma3XdTNiRM435B_TIBHh9lLisw6Qr_k4uLgwPDke_TF2IkPdazBzJnGecQoJNcv18Z_0sRMscs0W6Idnl7sytYLpvyOCjNJSp6BkTzi9wMZh4zUQ/s2048/ears%20and%20house%20vertical.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhADNFf0e6jAhSdoe3npt_6HjhIlNvvj7p7tvTBWbjaSie6CEI_wHB98yngT-LT7WrVh-ZgzZt0ma3XdTNiRM435B_TIBHh9lLisw6Qr_k4uLgwPDke_TF2IkPdazBzJnGecQoJNcv18Z_0sRMscs0W6Idnl7sytYLpvyOCjNJSp6BkTzi9wMZh4zUQ/s320/ears%20and%20house%20vertical.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking up at Biltmore house.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVKRwVdRghQ-6qbwRYB5Xb6a304XfTkv8aF_G9jkYZBzKwrNZFoLis7bDYNbUhHBQJGOJGLKjf_CY0Jy-Dh2weG4__VaEY3lklZ0KT20C6FsaGXK6S90rkP1Eb1K96XJhylb1-KvUW58efclpY3ZDKd6dArLfGLvAkGgXFNKxbzlRdXxuBLdfDArH8/s2048/Maddie.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVKRwVdRghQ-6qbwRYB5Xb6a304XfTkv8aF_G9jkYZBzKwrNZFoLis7bDYNbUhHBQJGOJGLKjf_CY0Jy-Dh2weG4__VaEY3lklZ0KT20C6FsaGXK6S90rkP1Eb1K96XJhylb1-KvUW58efclpY3ZDKd6dArLfGLvAkGgXFNKxbzlRdXxuBLdfDArH8/s320/Maddie.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maddie relaxing out at the vet check and hold.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>After we put the horses back in their paddocks with well-deserved snacks, we headed off to explore the estate and enjoy the grounds. We didn't tour the house, perhaps I can do that on another trip, but wandering around and enjoying everything was the icing on the cake. The next morning, I got up early and headed back to the airport. Jen and her family packed up later that morning and took the horses home.</p><p>It's rare when something not only lives up to your expectations but exceeds them. Sometimes reality lives up to the dreams, and I'm lucky that this was another instance when my expectations were realized, thanks to my friend Jen, her family, a horse named Maddie, and an intrepid group of ride managers and volunteers.</p><p><i><a href="http://rideeverystride.blogspot.com/2021/11/life-lessons-from-ride-camp.html" target="_blank">Life Lessons From Ridecamp</a> is a series that shares the lessons our horses and ride camp taught me and how they apply to the rest of my life. </i></p>Stacey Stearnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06547504736100974364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785597161680052374.post-39404872667908298102022-09-05T17:12:00.004-04:002022-09-05T17:12:35.084-04:00To Farm On Or Not - An Op-Ed in AGDAILY<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpWDasZzp98cn_oGFcGx-OR8sbm-rB2D2-F8O9vuTi3csovyTHvD3Z_hLkC9ek2d7LVXBxs5pCsAymAnXzyC_NQV6q1Jt5G4ioW11KAsC1MwVDHPlBn-eRxHVfDg6sblAeJAfWjvVCxzGgS_rpQ2fN4VVWfFgzr47KrfByzB-Ox5FOSwzQhlMlwpPR/s1245/bg-sterns_oped_field-001-1245x830.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="830" data-original-width="1245" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpWDasZzp98cn_oGFcGx-OR8sbm-rB2D2-F8O9vuTi3csovyTHvD3Z_hLkC9ek2d7LVXBxs5pCsAymAnXzyC_NQV6q1Jt5G4ioW11KAsC1MwVDHPlBn-eRxHVfDg6sblAeJAfWjvVCxzGgS_rpQ2fN4VVWfFgzr47KrfByzB-Ox5FOSwzQhlMlwpPR/s320/bg-sterns_oped_field-001-1245x830.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Molly Deegan</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;">Agriculture is a strange mix of innovation and how we’ve always done things. It’s time to embrace more of the innovation side so that we can keep people in the industry.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.01em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; max-width: 100%;">I was visiting a farm a few months ago, and my friends there — the family members of my generation — all want to stop farming full time, at least what full-time currently looks like on their farm.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.01em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; max-width: 100%;">It broke my heart to hear that, but I can’t judge them for that decision because I work off the farm too. I needed better health insurance. I wanted to pursue my other interests and hobbies on my nights and weekends, instead of living and breathing the farm. I wanted a more sustainable lifestyle than I had witnessed in so many friends and family.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.01em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; max-width: 100%;">So, that chapter will close on yet another farm, and the farm story will (hopefully) find new lead characters to carry the farm forward and continue supporting our collective food security needs and the secondary benefits that accrue from a vibrant agricultural community.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.01em; margin: 0px 0px 10px; max-width: 100%;"><i><a href="https://www.agdaily.com/lifestyle/op-ed-to-farm-on-or-not/" target="_blank">Continue reading on AGDAILY</a></i></p>Stacey Stearnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06547504736100974364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785597161680052374.post-68130200254916119342022-08-15T09:38:00.003-04:002022-08-15T09:38:47.418-04:00Copper Beech Trees<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJntg0fFq9lVzACKvmjfK1eGv8EKnXvdhkhmDtA2McEDVN79L4RoEJXjBYKYQgrTROrQcOqNuvLZQBCPJvRU-UXLCaySwMsb155jrP7Z7Kmoq4zg55FF01oZtdfoFufHp6DfdEMIKomF7PGsZHmzlqQNlKc4KUXgSU8INSdQqCYIRaIqwoX-68dxZq/s4032/copper%20beech.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJntg0fFq9lVzACKvmjfK1eGv8EKnXvdhkhmDtA2McEDVN79L4RoEJXjBYKYQgrTROrQcOqNuvLZQBCPJvRU-UXLCaySwMsb155jrP7Z7Kmoq4zg55FF01oZtdfoFufHp6DfdEMIKomF7PGsZHmzlqQNlKc4KUXgSU8INSdQqCYIRaIqwoX-68dxZq/s320/copper%20beech.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54pfNvno6O0UnvDwDNQoEV7XfHqLnkCtEjifAd75K1tOESxuZ2ZEoigBHxc1tMcQGRSNSKn5X9ZMhXj17RSRJ3IzCINI4fDi3aJF8wcHURUeVJsw99fAvxqEqzfT-hxZpgNz38dWKWVAIjoWBP5sC4s9YNThqCjwFmefLWm9bRxVWoJ0c-pNb_5JH/s4032/leaves%20looking%20purple.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54pfNvno6O0UnvDwDNQoEV7XfHqLnkCtEjifAd75K1tOESxuZ2ZEoigBHxc1tMcQGRSNSKn5X9ZMhXj17RSRJ3IzCINI4fDi3aJF8wcHURUeVJsw99fAvxqEqzfT-hxZpgNz38dWKWVAIjoWBP5sC4s9YNThqCjwFmefLWm9bRxVWoJ0c-pNb_5JH/s320/leaves%20looking%20purple.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-zNqXFu67ZHqahnRPfg-t9bH4kJERlaCcZ3QngT1S1I2t8eYrc4Sap6UXgnq1OHdlnX3uulwOtv5WCoAAWscOuRW-vFRIkLbpyWs6eNOmT8eH17zmAfTlXLPYmjRX_GaGkv8pemEsbMUB9qnraV0odqVRz0cgEXndCQhqV8OSQ6ELxRLGMYG3FU6n/s4032/leaves.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-zNqXFu67ZHqahnRPfg-t9bH4kJERlaCcZ3QngT1S1I2t8eYrc4Sap6UXgnq1OHdlnX3uulwOtv5WCoAAWscOuRW-vFRIkLbpyWs6eNOmT8eH17zmAfTlXLPYmjRX_GaGkv8pemEsbMUB9qnraV0odqVRz0cgEXndCQhqV8OSQ6ELxRLGMYG3FU6n/s320/leaves.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk6nLFG7n5krT-ZES9uBxyyaA6xX7cLFNTHYmMpDdi7Q4XL-VPITU_9MHqxph_Rn3C9TNnYw_yQIy6FKbmCRqdYfSml3-gsi-ww7PnxKEmhiy5MMOKgFLNK09eUfePEpiM2ht4O3g1lrsEP0idrLGVsZGRbqr2accTOiFXMkj70R_vChS_gkBOAbux/s4032/looking%20up%20at%20canopy.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk6nLFG7n5krT-ZES9uBxyyaA6xX7cLFNTHYmMpDdi7Q4XL-VPITU_9MHqxph_Rn3C9TNnYw_yQIy6FKbmCRqdYfSml3-gsi-ww7PnxKEmhiy5MMOKgFLNK09eUfePEpiM2ht4O3g1lrsEP0idrLGVsZGRbqr2accTOiFXMkj70R_vChS_gkBOAbux/s320/looking%20up%20at%20canopy.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT22-uKrOWPr4xsnXDTLWcZuv4Hf-oPBabWGnW9UbhzDwA2pu0xpz6OXR54agZrIKbWqhCdiUGuEoUSNKiNhrwUbXvkT_Xq9diaj43lVmweSFVuXPC6lriMC3Bfb3lBTQ_0BtzQhrUa3K5gfHIRraQXtpLOy8Go3yW2hlCXAGbOe4Sze8UuS5IqzLM/s4032/trunk%20and%20roots.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT22-uKrOWPr4xsnXDTLWcZuv4Hf-oPBabWGnW9UbhzDwA2pu0xpz6OXR54agZrIKbWqhCdiUGuEoUSNKiNhrwUbXvkT_Xq9diaj43lVmweSFVuXPC6lriMC3Bfb3lBTQ_0BtzQhrUa3K5gfHIRraQXtpLOy8Go3yW2hlCXAGbOe4Sze8UuS5IqzLM/s320/trunk%20and%20roots.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioeDYgXsiT6xHxlEi8mGL1R6TpinDhwK98r_kSByOboQsbcw6RDxsNryKEhePna-8ChBkcXhbpgCz0gbSMOZKdnOocYeL59lZtwOXgFIiZMKfqcQ8WyUGNpR6OIKfoBB-mp5AV5a7BYWcMgtaPpR1qIMxYBkraONSvIXFvBbCDEPzaRbA58_vp6ALc/s4032/underside%20of%20leaves.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioeDYgXsiT6xHxlEi8mGL1R6TpinDhwK98r_kSByOboQsbcw6RDxsNryKEhePna-8ChBkcXhbpgCz0gbSMOZKdnOocYeL59lZtwOXgFIiZMKfqcQ8WyUGNpR6OIKfoBB-mp5AV5a7BYWcMgtaPpR1qIMxYBkraONSvIXFvBbCDEPzaRbA58_vp6ALc/s320/underside%20of%20leaves.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG1M1cABEUWArpf5GHXkz49-hlWZwrTsu6oE5jRJ8fmQ8vjYPPepbbSHItsQmKnOYiV34yrapEFO-pJcir5X3gJI5m1bsujkdpD0CskY4s9ADeA7FjWik6ATHs3Sv_MUuwmNJBOQZdR6WgSErmLHSwdqIlyB66frlHS3TIe6l6li3EZ2pMvJpkFJMn/s4032/with%20people.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG1M1cABEUWArpf5GHXkz49-hlWZwrTsu6oE5jRJ8fmQ8vjYPPepbbSHItsQmKnOYiV34yrapEFO-pJcir5X3gJI5m1bsujkdpD0CskY4s9ADeA7FjWik6ATHs3Sv_MUuwmNJBOQZdR6WgSErmLHSwdqIlyB66frlHS3TIe6l6li3EZ2pMvJpkFJMn/s320/with%20people.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><p>The Copper Beech tree (<i>Fagus sylvatica</i>) stands as a sentinel in the landscape, its towering height and distinctive color setting them apart from other trees. It's part of the beech family, mutations in the 1400s created the copper beech in its native England and European climates.</p><p>Its commonly used as a specimen tree or signature piece in a garden landscape and urban areas because the leaves have a purplish color in the spring and become more copper as the seasons' progress to fall. The tree can grow up to 140 feet tall and has a wide diameter, making it a popular shade tree. Copper beech trees also live for 300 to 400 years in their native English climate, and can survive up to 150 years here in the United States.</p><p>Their striking size and beauty are a beacon in the landscape, drawing people to them. Beech trees are considered the queen of the forest by many, while the oak serves as king. The beech was thought to bring good luck to travelers, wisdom, and knowledge. Copper beech trees have edible fruits that were eaten raw or roasted and are also used to make cooking oils and coffee. </p><p>Copper beech trees prefer a humid climate, full sun, and slightly acidic soil. They often grow on the sides of hills, further accentuating their height. Some people see them as a pest or nuisance since they look different from other trees and their flowers and fruit can make a mess of the lawn.</p><p>I, and many others, are drawn to copper beech trees though. I went out of my way to find them on visits to England in 2018, and again this past year, have sought them out in different landscapes because they are different, and to me, sacred. I went to see the lilacs at the <a href="https://ctlandmarks.org/properties/bellamy-ferriday-house-garden/" target="_blank">Bellamy-Ferriday house</a> in Bethlehem in May and found this stunning sample at the edge of their property.</p><p>Sources: <a href="https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/a-z-of-british-trees/copper-beech/" target="_blank">Woodland Trust</a> and <a href="https://www.thebeechtreeinkirriemuir.co.uk/symbolism-of-the-beech-tree.html" target="_blank">The Beech Tree</a>.</p>Stacey Stearnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06547504736100974364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785597161680052374.post-48949156679936565952022-08-11T07:32:00.005-04:002022-08-11T07:32:00.159-04:00Reflections and Finding Blog Posts from 2012<p><i><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD333JYBcNVBea31alrCOdoWiTtiK1HDVV4QS2CrXWxRJWrvCyGsBac0TBtKdBeeSkfxPozIMbPpE3oTw0qroPB1K2RPPSvm6FHQWTec_njOSQtX2vZk20ZFPGROJRM2P3k1-UIuAtwaBR7TFp6R6i2E3lzUIFhU5FnHpgXRYEFZ5mGYXvaUZycJAl/s960/RI%20trail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD333JYBcNVBea31alrCOdoWiTtiK1HDVV4QS2CrXWxRJWrvCyGsBac0TBtKdBeeSkfxPozIMbPpE3oTw0qroPB1K2RPPSvm6FHQWTec_njOSQtX2vZk20ZFPGROJRM2P3k1-UIuAtwaBR7TFp6R6i2E3lzUIFhU5FnHpgXRYEFZ5mGYXvaUZycJAl/s320/RI%20trail.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trail riding in Rhode Island - September 2012</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </i></p><p><i>I was cleaning out some files on my laptop and found three blog posts that I wrote in September 2012. Finding these old "gems" is interesting to see how much has changed and how much hasn't changed. These particular posts also remind me of how much Secret has accomplished in the last 10 years.</i></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">
Horse Camping in Rhode Island </h3><div>Last weekend, I went with my friend Megan to the Arcadia Management area in Escoheag, RI to meet two of our other friends and their horses for a weekend camping trip. I took Secret since she is wearing shoes and the trails there can be rocky. It was her first camping trip, so I was uncertain how it would all go, but was looking forward to a weekend away. </div><div><br /></div><div>The best thing for me about going horse camping was not running around from one thing to another. My schedule lately has been intense, and it was fun to have a couple of quiet days and the opportunity to spend hours in the saddle and sit and talk with friends afterward. Our friend Esther, who was there with her husband Jim, says that as much as she loves competitive trail rides, the pleasure rides bring an entire relaxing element. </div><div><br /></div><div>We arrived at the campground around 11 AM on Saturday and set up the paddocks for the horses. I assumed Secret has seen an electric fence at some point in her life, and she was great. She munched her hay, said hi to Cocoa, and didn’t carry on at all. </div><div><br /></div><div>We set off on a trail ride at noon. We headed out on the dirt roads that we’ve regularly ridden while doing competitive rides at Arcadia. Esther and Jim have ridden there a lot, and Jim was carrying a map, so we figured we were all set. Our plan was to ride for three hours and then go back to camp and relax. </div><div><br /></div><div>Secret was a little bouncy heading out of camp. When we picked up a trot, she promptly bucked three times, but then settled into her work. After the first couple of miles, she settled right down and followed the other horses. After we had ridden two hours, we needed another hour of trail. Esther asked if we wanted to do more dirt roads or go back into the woods. I said, let’s do more woods and we took a left onto a side trail. </div><div><br /></div><div>Before long, we ended up on what the map called a “multi-use trail.” It was rocky, and more like a goat trail with all of the rocks and turns, but the horses were handling it well, so we continued. We came to a fork in the trail, we could go straight, or take a right. Esther said to go straight because the trail looked like it had seen more use. There was horse poop on the trail, so we weren’t worried. </div><div><br /></div><div>Twenty minutes later, Jim said, “According to the map, we should have gone right.” Esther replied, “I’m curious to see where this goes now.” So we continued down the multi-use trail. The trail got pretty sketchy with the number of rocks and narrow turns. Secret was handling it like a pro though, so I wasn’t too worried. I knew she was getting tired because she did slam my knee into a tree at one point, but since we were only walking, I figured she would be okay. Of the four horses, she is the least conditioned, the other three were doing 30 and 50-mile trail rides all summer. Her ears were still up and she was happy, so we kept following along. </div><div><br /></div><div>At some point, Esther started to get a bit worried, since we were going in a straight line the entire time and hadn’t made any turns. Her curiosity soon turned into real worry and she wanted off the trail. Secret and I bushwacked us a trail through a lightly wooded section (we’ve had practice making our own trails at home!) and we found a dirt road. We headed back towards Arcadia on that, until we found it was a dead end. We turned around, and followed the dirt road to the Whispering Pines Recreation area. There was a wedding there Saturday night and we asked numerous people for help getting back to Arcadia (basically a faster, less rocky trail than the one we came down). Everyone told us we were near route 102, and it would take us ½ an hour by road to get to Arcadia and we would need to go down I-95. </div><div><br /></div><div>Not happening. Secret and I bushwacked us back onto the multi-use trail and we took off at a trot to get back to camp. Secret led for a little while after bushwacking us in; until we got to a hill that went straight down and she thought it was a better idea to let Mackie go first. It’s really surprising how many hills are in Rhode Island, I think we rode them all that day. It only took us 40 minutes to get back to the dirt roads of Arcadia, thanks to the light feet of our horses. We walked the rocky areas and trotted everything else. </div><div><br /></div><div>We stopped at the Flat River to water our horses. Upon exiting the river, there is a long, steep hill up the dirt road on the way back to camp. The other three horses knew where they were and took off at a gallop. Secret cantered along behind them for a minute, before slowing to a trot, and then she just stopped and watched them gallop away. I couldn’t get her to move. The look on her face said: “Are you kidding me?” </div><div><br /></div><div>She finally picked up a slow trot and climbed the hill. Luckily the others had noticed that we weren’t behind them anymore and stopped to wait. When they heard Secret stopped dead and wouldn’t move because she thought they were crazy, they laughed. Once Secret saw the trail back to camp, she seemed to realize what their hurry was! </div><div><br /></div><div>Overall, it was a great day. It was the first time I was ever truly “lost” on a trail and I thoroughly enjoyed myself, since we weren’t in a hurry to get anywhere, had maps and cell phones, and were never really lost, just didn’t want to go back the way we had come! We rode 16 miles that day, and we all ate well at camp that night. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Horse Camping in Rhode Island Part Two </h3><div>Hurricane Isaac, who at that point was a tropical storm was blowing into the Northeast Saturday night. Megan’s husband had called while we were riding Saturday afternoon to tell us about the two tornados in New York City and to tell us to take shelter. Megan told him it was nice out and we were still on the horses! </div><div><br /></div><div>We were sitting under the pop-up tent, at one of the picnic tables provided by Arcadia finishing dinner when it began downpouring. During one of the breaks in the rain, we all ran and threw horses more hay and went to bed. I was testing out my new Thermarest sleep pad that I was taking to Peru. I definitely need a second pillow before Peru, I didn’t get much sleep. When I got up at 6 to feed the horses, they weren’t very wet and seemed happy. I crawled back into my sleeping bag for a bit longer. </div><div><br /></div><div>After we ate breakfast, we saddled up for another ride. Contrary to the thoughts of the entire group, Secret was bouncing out of ride camp. Esther looked at her and said, “I guess we didn’t tire her out at all.” She settled down quicker on Sunday, and I rode her on the buckle for most of the day. She was anywhere from second to fourth in line and was super well-behaved all day, which made for a very relaxing ride for me. As much as I love John, “pleasurable” is not always a word I associate with trail riding him, he can be a handful, especially when riding in groups. Secret is the opposite and I was really able to enjoy the weekend. </div><div><br /></div><div>We rode ten miles on Sunday and were packed up and home by 4 pm. I think it was just the kind of break we all needed from the stresses of daily life. I was thrilled with how well Secret handled the entire experience, including camping overnight in an outdoor paddock and can’t wait for our next adventure. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Sunrise on the farm </h3><div>One of the things I love best about feeding calves in the morning is watching the sunrise. There are always brilliant colors in the sky. Last Wednesday, the sun was a bold red coming up through the trees. I especially love the morning fog as it clings to the hills surrounding the farm, and the quiet beauty of the trees. </div><div><br /></div><div>The trees will be changing colors soon, and as much as I love the fall foliage colors, I will truly miss being surrounded by green. Another of my favorite things, listening to the sound of the wind ripple through the corn, is already disappearing as every day more corn gets chopped and taken back to the silo. The cows will eat well this winter, and I will be able to ride in those fields again, but I will miss the gentle ripple of corn stalks against each other as we are riding alongside a field.
</div>Stacey Stearnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06547504736100974364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785597161680052374.post-91727235446045442392022-08-07T15:10:00.006-04:002022-08-07T15:52:25.083-04:00Trail Ride Packing List for Equestrians<p>We've all been there before, arriving at a ride camp or trail riding destination and realizing that we've forgotten some crucial piece of equipment. Over the years, I've seen riders forget and need to borrow girths, helmets, stirrups, and all sorts of other items. I've borrowed blankets, buckets, fly spray, and numerous other things myself. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7_tS7R4Q524vAbi7qSMhJHupStDp-q6_XGeeGHhkV6Ajsh8ivTgzsSLElLsXY1j8Y_sMvK5ACDsCBhF8z1V3-YZNepWmxUqTRxmAQMBV7G8oKUJXl1Bprs79V3taOAIBsbpV2Ru0pjgBOJr1nwNcCoGnveEF-_Uq00b_WsdRC1pldhlFSS14Dj5jY/s2000/Trail%20Ride%20Packing%20list.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1414" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7_tS7R4Q524vAbi7qSMhJHupStDp-q6_XGeeGHhkV6Ajsh8ivTgzsSLElLsXY1j8Y_sMvK5ACDsCBhF8z1V3-YZNepWmxUqTRxmAQMBV7G8oKUJXl1Bprs79V3taOAIBsbpV2Ru0pjgBOJr1nwNcCoGnveEF-_Uq00b_WsdRC1pldhlFSS14Dj5jY/s320/Trail%20Ride%20Packing%20list.png" width="226" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My trail ride packing list - used for training and overnight rides, with a few things left off for training rides.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The best way to avoid this is by using a <a href="http://www.staceystearns.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Trail-Ride-Packing-list.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">trail riding packing list</a>. There are phone apps you can use for a trail ride packing list or you can resort to a paper list, and physically check things off as you go along. I am less likely to forget something with a pen and paper because it's easy to become distracted by other items on your phone and forget where you left off on the packing list.</p><p>There is a packing pendulum – I went from overpacking to minimalist packing with one change of clothes and a toothbrush, and then back to overpacking. Now, I’m on the swing towards minimalist packing again. I love the advice from Tim Ferris on buying it when you’re there if you really need it. An example is when I bought an evening outfit in Buenos Aires after 10 days of camping to go out to a dinner show.</p><p>How does that translate to our horses? It’s the same thing. There are things in my ride bag and totes that I haven’t used in years. If you look through what my friends and I packed, we probably have duplicates of several items with us that we’ll never need. We can get our packing down to the essentials, and with everything else. We can make do until we get home or get to someone who can help us.</p><p>Here's an example of minimalist packing for trail rides: Your belt can become an extra stirrup leather or leadline. I also used my sponge bag rope as a make-do stirrup leather until a friend could catch up with me on trail with a new one.</p><p>I tried to organize items on the list by use case, and this list can be used for day rides or overnight rides. Several items, including human snacks, could have their own sub-list. There are also things I take on an endurance ride that you may not find necessary. I do want to point out how many items are already pre-packed in my grooming bag that I just "grab and go" with. </p><p>My grooming bag includes:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Curry comb (three types)</li><li>Several hoof picks</li><li>Stiff, medium, and a soft brush</li><li>Mane and tail brush</li><li>Scissors</li><li>Wound ointment</li><li>Braiding bands</li><li>Vet wrap and gauze strips</li><li>Two extra pairs of gloves</li><li>Treats</li><li>Black electrical tape (there are so many uses for this in the equestrian world)</li><li>Washcloths for wiping my horse's face (in case I forget a towel)</li><li>Stethoscope (for taking my horse's pulse on a training or competitive ride)</li></ul><div>My grooming bag is another example of minimalist packing. That, a hay bag, water, and a bucket are sometimes the only thing I take for a quick training ride close to home at Mansfield Hollow, in Natchaug State Forest, or on the airline trail. </div><div><br /></div><div>Those whose horse trailer includes a tack room or living quarters have the added advantage of leaving the trailer packed and ready to go. I do offer a word of caution though, it's a good idea to go through your trailer prior to a ride and make sure you didn't take anything out or loan anything to someone at your last ride and forget about it. I've seen this happen a few times too, and it only takes a few minutes to do a walk-through with your packing list. </div><div><br /></div><div>Which of these items are essential for you? What have I forgotten that you always include? Feel free to <a href="http://www.staceystearns.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Trail-Ride-Packing-list.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">download the list</a> and use it for your next ride, or create your own with this one as the foundation.</div><p></p>Stacey Stearnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06547504736100974364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785597161680052374.post-50372559576290186462022-07-21T07:19:00.012-04:002022-07-21T07:19:00.162-04:00Letting Go: Reflections on a Stem Cell Transplant<h2 style="text-align: left;">Gaining Perspective Amid Turmoil</h2><div><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; font-family: "Open Sans", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.75; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>I published this on July 21, 2020, on Thrive Global. It's still true today, on the seven-year anniversary.</i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhcgSe2fRaCKkRKAmUUrvVUPjGLV5XfpS7RcNO6gzPAFq5MIBzO6i1pa7J1v9iwtxV9egVyjrNktzSAHQhOhZhgb5uOZsUupQ16M_7ND7HZrQTOLMlEkUAeyQzk87z56lCstbd72O0h3j193BhOICC6NLX3Q1fsCOb4t7UIS2pz5Ce5kaPaLPj1ofyq=s1550" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1033" data-original-width="1550" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhcgSe2fRaCKkRKAmUUrvVUPjGLV5XfpS7RcNO6gzPAFq5MIBzO6i1pa7J1v9iwtxV9egVyjrNktzSAHQhOhZhgb5uOZsUupQ16M_7ND7HZrQTOLMlEkUAeyQzk87z56lCstbd72O0h3j193BhOICC6NLX3Q1fsCOb4t7UIS2pz5Ce5kaPaLPj1ofyq=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; font-family: "Open Sans", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.75; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I had a stem cell transplant five years ago today. At the time, it enveloped my entire world and I let go of my dreams and plans. I slowly picked up the pieces and returned to my “normal” life – healthy and cautiously happy. Things never go back to the way they once were. We all know that because we’ve all survived something and faced a myriad of challenges in our lives.</p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; font-family: "Open Sans", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.75; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Five years is supposed to be the magic number for cancer patients. Once you hit the five-year mark you’re supposed to be “cured.” Unfortunately, I learned that five years isn’t a magical number the hard way, the same way many other patients have. It still hurt. So, I had a stem cell transplant.</p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; font-family: "Open Sans", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.75; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Technically, I don’t even know if I’m at the five-year mark. It’s the anniversary of the transplant. But after I recovered enough from that, they started radiation. Then they let me recover again, and started maintenance chemotherapy. Maybe I’m supposed to count five years from the end of one of those, not the transplant. Who knows? I could ask, but it doesn’t seem that important anymore.</p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; font-family: "Open Sans", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.75; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">It’s more important to appreciate the days and opportunities that I have. Helping my broken community heal from a pandemic and racial injustice seems more important. Sometimes I’m not sure of the best way to do that, but I know that some action is better than nothing.</p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; font-family: "Open Sans", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.75; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I have friends facing their own cancer diagnosis and treatments and have lost a few more friends to their cancer diagnosis. Coronavirus has affected some of my friends. Racial injustice is affecting others. I know international students who have been on an emotional roller coaster. Some have dealt with a combination of these and other stressors. Throughout it all, I’ve felt privileged and lucky – my cancer treatment wasn’t easy, but it could have been a lot worse. And I survived while others did not.</p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; font-family: "Open Sans", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.75; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Survivors’ guilt can change the narrative in your head. I shifted the narrative back by reminding myself that the best way to honor those that have gone before us is to make the most of the time we have. The best way that I can honor those that are still struggling is to use my health and privilege to make the world a better place.</p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; font-family: "Open Sans", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.75; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I feel guilty writing about my experiences when others are facing much bigger challenges. I considered what my outcomes could have been. I might not have survived these challenges if I had been born in another time or as a different race. It certainly would have been harder. But, if I don’t write about it, or otherwise acknowledge my privilege, it only perpetuates the problem.</p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; font-family: "Open Sans", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.75; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Instead, I’m letting go of my preconceived ideas, expectations, and goals. Letting go leaves space for others. Letting go helps us learn to enjoy and appreciate what we have. I have learned to live more fully by letting go. I have gained perspective on the lives and challenges of others by letting go.</p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; font-family: "Open Sans", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.75; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cancer is still a terrible thing. But instead of focusing on magic numbers and anniversaries, I’m focusing on enjoying each moment. I’m figuring out how to help to make my community a better place so that others can do the same thing.</p></div>Stacey Stearnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06547504736100974364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785597161680052374.post-87702110481740147852022-07-13T09:23:00.002-04:002022-07-13T09:23:00.162-04:00Life Lessons From Ride Camp: The 1,000-Mile Quest<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn_P0ogf4dqQY4IojFK-uQ5bE44aQopdTOPquOE35IKfvy6jclvOiu6WxuS0imelmE9iodtR2Rw9d1py35qgENGgeGyDhHRdIixRSCCCkTwRBNZPkJn4npw7jd34QoPPzZc1NZE-3RUe_HOnLlsTxkKtK6jVRtx8n6xEi3AjC_I7El4_JmjWrpJ6CN/s1050/NC0_1709%20small.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1050" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn_P0ogf4dqQY4IojFK-uQ5bE44aQopdTOPquOE35IKfvy6jclvOiu6WxuS0imelmE9iodtR2Rw9d1py35qgENGgeGyDhHRdIixRSCCCkTwRBNZPkJn4npw7jd34QoPPzZc1NZE-3RUe_HOnLlsTxkKtK6jVRtx8n6xEi3AjC_I7El4_JmjWrpJ6CN/s320/NC0_1709%20small.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riding through the rain at the Northeast Challenge Endurance Ride in 2020.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>If you start trail riding a lot, eventually, you may start chasing mileage milestones. Pleasure and competitive trail riding organizations all seem to offer some sort of mileage counting and reward system. The organizations I belong to put the highest value on the 1,000 miles and higher milestones. These prove that you are really into the sport, and have some experience (at least by their definition, but that's a post for another day).</p><p>Inevitably, we don't always ride on sunny days. The challenges of weather, the trail, our horses' mental feelings that day, and our personal motivation levels are woven into the fabric of each mile. Some miles are harder than others but the journey makes us who we are. </p><p>It was downpouring the morning of the ride where I would reach my 1,000th competitive mile as a rider with the Eastern Competitive Trail Ride Association. We were at the Brookfield Trail System in New York. I went to get on my horse and had one foot in the stirrup and one on the ground when someone yelled behind me.</p><p>I turned around to look and as I did, my foot on the ground slid out from under me in the mud, and I was under my horse's belly. He ran off, being very careful not to step on me. I quickly got back up (albeit covered in mud). No one else could catch him, but he stopped and I walked right up to him and this time mounted without fanfare.</p><p>The weather improved later in the ride, but the trails were still slick. We were third in a line of horses when we were suddenly on a bridge that we didn't realize was a bridge. The second horse slipped and went down, and my friend Meg fell off and into the water on the left side of the bridge. I jumped off to grab her horse, while still holding John. A couple of horses came down the trail behind us. John turned to see what was coming, and he slipped off the bridge on the right side. </p><p>We finished the ride and I earned my 1,000-mile award, but that was one of the hardest rides I've had. You can read the <a href="https://rideeverystride.blogspot.com/2017/09/the-1000th-mile.html" target="_blank">full post</a> about that ride.</p><p>Years ago, Megan and I rode the Jersey Devil competitive rides during Superstorm Sandy. Obviously, we didn't realize the exact conditions when we headed out to New Jersey (or maybe we did and were overly optimistic, that was a long time ago now). Long story short, I was so miserable and cold. It's the most miserable I've ever been on a horse. </p><p>Megan gave me her gloves at one point and I remember thinking about how I had been saved. It probably did save me in some ways, at least from myself and the negative feedback loop in my brain! We got to the hold and a volunteer brought us out hot soup from the clubhouse. But she wouldn't let us go inside because she said that if we did, we would never finish the ride.</p><p>We finished the ride, and John vetted through with a score of 99.75 or something crazy like that. His ears were up the whole time and he was happy. Horses are resilient and handle things so much better than we do. But I remember thinking at one point during that ride, "why am I doing this." Chasing miles, that's why. We ride, no matter what the weather does. </p><p>I was at the Northeast Challenge Endurance ride in Maine in 2020, trying to get John 30 miles closer to his <a href="https://rideeverystride.blogspot.com/2021/11/life-lessons-from-ridecamp-horse-doesnt.html" target="_blank">1,000-mile goal</a>. It was downpouring, again. I remember thinking that if I would rider option and pull out of the ride if I wasn't so close to the milestone and if so many other things hadn't conspired to prevent us from getting John's 1,000 miles already.</p><p>We rode through the rain. Again. I completely soaked through despite my Outback riding jacket and other fancy rain gear. Honestly, it doesn't matter who makes it. If it's really raining, the water will get through. We finished the ride. John vetted out with all As. I took him back to the trailer and got him cleaned up and fed. Then, I sat down on the step into the living quarters and took off my half chaps and Ariat H20 boots. I poured water out of my boots and onto the ground. Friends at the next trailer laughed. We were all soaked and looked like drowned rats. The shower in the trailer came in handy as we threw all the wet gear in there.</p><p>But we've also had perfect rides when everything seems to go right. </p><p>We saddle up and keep riding through the hard times, the challenging rides, and the bad weather. We work through issues with a misbehaving horse with the care and compassion a parent shows a small child. We do not always approach the rest of our lives with the same grace and perseverance that we use in our equestrian sports. How many times have we wanted to hurry along with a rough patch in our lives and get through it as fast as we can? We would never rush our horse, and we shouldn't rush ourselves either. Most of these things need to be worked through, and only by going through whatever it is, can we fully process it and move on. We ride a trail mile by mile and we need to approach the rest of our lives the same way. </p><p>Each mile and each experience builds us into who we are as people. I often joke that I'm a better person when I ride my horses, but it's not really a joke, it is true. My horses reconnect me to the part of myself that matters most to me, they require me to be present and focused, and they have provided me with amazing opportunities. For that, I wouldn't trade a single mile. </p><p><i><a href="http://rideeverystride.blogspot.com/2021/11/life-lessons-from-ride-camp.html" target="_blank">Life Lessons From Ridecamp</a> is a series that shares the lessons our horses and ride camp taught me and how they apply to the rest of my life. </i></p>Stacey Stearnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06547504736100974364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785597161680052374.post-25762630981541061382022-07-09T14:22:00.003-04:002022-07-09T14:22:39.052-04:00Life Lessons from Ridecamp: Endurance Rides, Exhaustion, and Forgiveness<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgMnGe-HrkRYbsrj_JAEIjtK0g2TWwgEbToAGf7H7OxNMYSUaeOoY9snkRjMSdXn9wsxAjWFFz3Kbg2EY4W5s-m3MbsTM3ZsJbOwt-xfO1bDRdXG6yy2yILw-CyTKj9g9CL0JAMzwkW0Zp70ADDG-deYZfERm4IpszehNtK-FMSlrXBNFV4VrTQ072/s1440/6DD08ECB-F517-4F3E-A1DD-B9347F90CF8A.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgMnGe-HrkRYbsrj_JAEIjtK0g2TWwgEbToAGf7H7OxNMYSUaeOoY9snkRjMSdXn9wsxAjWFFz3Kbg2EY4W5s-m3MbsTM3ZsJbOwt-xfO1bDRdXG6yy2yILw-CyTKj9g9CL0JAMzwkW0Zp70ADDG-deYZfERm4IpszehNtK-FMSlrXBNFV4VrTQ072/s320/6DD08ECB-F517-4F3E-A1DD-B9347F90CF8A.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We rode by this pond in North Waterford, Maine, and stopped to enjoy the view.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div>I went to the Firecracker Endurance rides over the fourth of July weekend in North Waterford, Maine. I'd been planning on it for a while, and trailer-pooled with a friend so we could split diesel costs (yikes!) and ride together. <div><br /></div><div>June was a hard month for me on so many counts. We hosted the Connecticut Morgan Open Horse Show from June 8th through 11th and finished cleaning up the horse show at 11:30 pm on a Saturday night. I had a 5 AM flight to Kansas City for the Association for Communication Excellence conference the following day. That was a short night - and let's just say I wasn't my most alert at the ACE board meeting on Sunday afternoon!</div><div><br /></div><div>The rest of June was as much of a whirlwind as the first two weeks, with plenty of deadlines for my freelance writing clients plus all my regular work stuff. </div><div><br /></div><div>I was exhausted when my friend Mary and her horse Trixie arrived to pick us up. But, we got up to the fairgrounds, set up our camp, and vetted in the horses. Secret hadn't competed since we rode the Foxcatcher Endurance ride in April. She missed the May ride while I was at Biltmore, and we missed the June rides due to my other commitments. Like a fine wine, she's gotten better with age and handled it all well. Our joke of the weekend is that it took 21 years, but she's turned into a really nice and steady horse. I'm grateful for that.</div><div><br /></div><div>We rode the 30-mile ride. Our original plan was the 50, but we were both appreciative that we had decided against that. I did pretty well on the first loop of the ride (17 miles) and ate snacks and drank electrolytes at the hold.</div><div><br /></div><div>Unfortunately, not even protein snacks and electrolytes are a match for a month's worth of not enough rest. The exhaustion hit my like a brick wall on the second loop and Mary said several times while we were riding that we needed to get caffeine into me. I'm not sure if my horse wanted to go slow, or I did, but I tend to think it was me, but our second loop was much slower than the first. </div><div><br /></div><div>After we got back to ridecamp, we vetted the horses out. Secret vetted out with all As and a low CRI (cardiac recovery) - the exhaustion was probably me. Trixie and Secret tied for seventh in the 30-mile ride.</div><div><br /></div><div>We took care of our horses and got them settled in with lunch, and then headed off to take care of ourselves. A shower and cold brew coffee perked me up. I spent the rest of the afternoon alternating between sitting under the awning reading a book or talking to friends and hand grazing my horse around the fairgrounds.</div><div><br /></div><div>I needed the quiet afternoon and the rest. I needed more rest too, but that would have to wait until I got home. I promised never to pack my schedule that full again (I think I've made that promise to myself before...).</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's the thing, my horse forgave me and took care of me and I need to forgive myself too. I would have supported one of my friends in the same situation, saying that they were doing the best that they could. We don't always offer ourselves that same level of compassion. My horse happily went down that trail all day and slowed down from the very forward first loop to a slow and steady second loop. Maybe she did it for herself and maybe it was for me. It definitely benefitted both of us. </div><div><br /></div><div>Endurance is a physical and psychological test and part of it is riding the trail you have and the horse you have that day in the present conditions. Some days the riders aren't on their "A" game either. But I don't ride to win or top ten. I ride for the challenge, for the time with my horse, for the scenic views, new trails, and time spent with friends. I ride because of the joy it brings me. Sometimes, it also reminds me that it's okay to slow down and take it easy.</div><div><div><br /></div><div><i><a href="http://rideeverystride.blogspot.com/2021/11/life-lessons-from-ride-camp.html" target="_blank">Life Lessons From Ridecamp</a> is a series that shares the lessons our horses and ride camp taught me and how they apply to the rest of my life. </i></div></div>Stacey Stearnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06547504736100974364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785597161680052374.post-1998453717658683372022-06-08T07:13:00.000-04:002022-06-08T07:13:00.166-04:00Horseback Riding at Mount Toby in Massachusetts<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Western Massachusetts and the Pioneer Valley are home to the Five College area of Amherst, Hampshire, Smith, Mount Holyoke, and the University of Massachusetts. Within this region are the towns of Sunderland, Leverett, and Montague. </span><a href="https://eco.umass.edu/facilities/our-forest-properties/mt-toby/" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; outline: none !important; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;">Mount Toby Demonstration Forest </a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">is 755-acres within these three towns. It’s a favorite destination for outdoor enthusiasts, including equestrians. Mount Toby is just east of the Connecticut River. The forest is wooded hills and knolls, with waterfalls and glacial kettle ponds. Cranberry Pond is the most notable kettle pond.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">The Department of Natural Resources Conservation at UMass-Amherst manages Mount Toby as a teaching, research, and demonstration forest. Much of the forest has been logged more than once; however, some parts are inaccessible and have never been logged. Recreational users are permitted in the forest as long as they don’t interfere with teaching and research. UMass partners with many of the recreational user groups. The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) operates a fire tower on the summit of Mount Toby. Although the top is closed, hikers can climb some of the steps for 360-degree views from the platforms. </p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">Captain Elnathan Toby was a colonial settler from Springfield, and the first Caucasian to summit Mount Toby. The peak was named after him. Mount Toby is the highest of the hills in the area, at 1,269 feet. Roaring Mountain, Ox Hill, and Bull Hill are part of the Mount Toby Demonstration Forest; however, they are collectively known as Mount Toby. Although these hills aren’t the tallest in the Metacomet Ridge, the slopes are steep with tough trails. Small cliffs and ledges lie to the east and west of Mount Toby. A deep valley with a brook divides Roaring Mountain in the south and Ox Hill in the north. The brook forms a waterfall. It’s one of three prominent waterfalls in the forest.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">Mount Toby is known for its biodiversity. It was never cleared for agricultural use in the 18th and 19th centuries, and species thrive because they’ve been undisturbed. Equestrians must stay on the trails and not damage the flora. Of the 45 native fern species that can grow in Massachusetts, 42 of them are found in the Mount Toby Demonstration Forest. Orchid species also thrive in Mount Toby. The Showy Lady Slipper and Ram’s Head Lady Slipper are popular and noted throughout the forest.</p><h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #212121; font-family: Montserrat, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px auto 15px; padding: 0px;">On The Trail</h3><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">I was introduced to Mount Toby when I competed in my first 25-mile competitive trail ride in 2010. The <a href="http://ectra.org/cms/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; outline: none !important; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;">Eastern Competitive Trail Ride Association (ECTRA)</a> sanctions the Leverett 25-mile ride. The first loop of the ride was on dirt roads and woods trail in Leverett, while the second loop of the ride was on the backside of Mount Toby. Leverett is one of my favorite rides, and I try to attend every year.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrkzfFHc3ze95oYH808wE9oNxgCKPR5r3sImYYUGSIdxbbJ8YrNUxzJ8mhKYG-1ZgsmergcsWiutaf22AfHG_aDHQcmifnolBos2t6ONKcklUxQm8zHF0XbDbLv4v5arKg3fRk1d7Iqdj37jzQs0KUKFhdNaqsCpAysK76UqYVdpmp70s1KP8IwW_i=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrkzfFHc3ze95oYH808wE9oNxgCKPR5r3sImYYUGSIdxbbJ8YrNUxzJ8mhKYG-1ZgsmergcsWiutaf22AfHG_aDHQcmifnolBos2t6ONKcklUxQm8zHF0XbDbLv4v5arKg3fRk1d7Iqdj37jzQs0KUKFhdNaqsCpAysK76UqYVdpmp70s1KP8IwW_i=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riding Secret on the Mount Toby trails.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">Parking is available on Reservation Road in a small, paved lot. You can also pull off on the side of Reservation Road. Arrive early; the lot and side of the road quickly fill on weekends. There are no restroom facilities. An information kiosk is located at the trailhead. Bring your own map. Clean up hay and manure around your trailer before you leave. Expect to see many other trail users out in the woods. I have seen hikers, dog walkers, and the occasional all-terrain vehicle on every ride in the forest.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">Brooks and naturally occurring water out on the trail give equestrians the opportunity to water horses. A couple of bridges aren’t safe for horses, and you’ll need to go through the stream. The power line trail, Robert Frost Trail, Sunderland Cave trails, and the waterfalls are foot traffic only. These are <a href="http://eco.umass.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Mt.-Toby.pdf" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; outline: none !important; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;">labeled on the map</a>, which can be downloaded and saved to your Smartphone or printed.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">The geology dates back 190 million years. Those interested can read more about the Metacomet Ridge on various websites. The most important part of the geology for equestrians is that it’s rocky. Fire roads on the backside of Mount Toby are sheer rock in places, and slow you down to a walk. I always recommend hoof protection, and on Mount Toby, a good dose of caution.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">The railroad tracks run through the eastern portion of Mount Toby, in Leverett, parallel to Route 63. Trains pass through twice a day on these active tracks. The second train is in the early afternoon and usually has warning whistles. Use care if you choose to cross the tracks. Never ride down the tracks.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">Ride with a map – the trail isn’t blazed for recreational purposes. The blazes or markings that you see are part of the research and demonstration being done by UMass. The Robert Frost Trail is marked with orange blazes. Horseback riding is permitted in some areas on this statewide 47-mile trail, but the sections in Mount Toby are foot-travel only.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">Leverett has other trail riding opportunities. Rattlesnake Gutter is a glacial ravine in the town owned by the <a href="http://www.rattlesnakeguttertrust.org/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; outline: none !important; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;">Rattlesnake Gutter Trust</a>. They own and manage several properties. Rattlesnake Gutter Road is a two-mile road bordering Brushy Mountain in the heart of town and leads to the forested area. I rode in Rattlesnake Gutter using Craig Memorial Equestrian Center as ride camp and followed dirt roads to the preserve. My favorite part of the trail is the Rattlesnake Hill Outer Loop (<a href="http://www.rattlesnakeguttertrust.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Rattlesnake-Gutter-AreaTrails-lidar.pdf" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; outline: none !important; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;">in green on the trail map</a>). This trail rides along the stream.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">Mount Toby delights the trail rider with the rugged forest, challenging trails, and natural scenery. It quickly becomes a favorite that you visit time and again. See you on the trails!</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZfSJksrvaOPlelWGyuxAVlrCBC8WxG4l53qwD3r7QroNYpd9QAwHavhj1974X3N7tbGvvg-vNrqxQdp6aVGT-3QdOeJ6z0n-ne4ErY7dTpqZlnsjxvdgeUcyUUovmMtDlOIdayzVExpJ0mZYIZCrvcTYOhZftPiWsgN1GMjcaQFbA7tu9zJLqwux9=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZfSJksrvaOPlelWGyuxAVlrCBC8WxG4l53qwD3r7QroNYpd9QAwHavhj1974X3N7tbGvvg-vNrqxQdp6aVGT-3QdOeJ6z0n-ne4ErY7dTpqZlnsjxvdgeUcyUUovmMtDlOIdayzVExpJ0mZYIZCrvcTYOhZftPiWsgN1GMjcaQFbA7tu9zJLqwux9=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzeusOH8McjwjwKHAlvDOtRPcRomAao6asifcfQ5FVmQ5fZygDWpsmjz5cVZ87sXteKB_zt9XcPttbc6hXAK-uxuA56ACmd-SnHnKdj5W4m9hOSQ_1TktXsmEIKymPR87NsqCCCjNk44_-4xk9x8e-ff-32mNsksgsviLeSd5tOxYtqb0f7OGK4pYJ=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzeusOH8McjwjwKHAlvDOtRPcRomAao6asifcfQ5FVmQ5fZygDWpsmjz5cVZ87sXteKB_zt9XcPttbc6hXAK-uxuA56ACmd-SnHnKdj5W4m9hOSQ_1TktXsmEIKymPR87NsqCCCjNk44_-4xk9x8e-ff-32mNsksgsviLeSd5tOxYtqb0f7OGK4pYJ=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgkUkIj6RWHbcdWyyc5XfvGf87m6bbZYBzmgqP6ZYpkb6rf_NXMyhMO8T9W96CQJ2uhXYORlVSl8yM5OWptLf7xcnbEb2lAXL97i_Gq7DCX8y9NNLYsfWm89QObH8bLgsqLOZq3LpB8SE0ApkmOqPzAFR2PpPK34KO7829bcGbafZTzShH9-eAZR2VJ=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgkUkIj6RWHbcdWyyc5XfvGf87m6bbZYBzmgqP6ZYpkb6rf_NXMyhMO8T9W96CQJ2uhXYORlVSl8yM5OWptLf7xcnbEb2lAXL97i_Gq7DCX8y9NNLYsfWm89QObH8bLgsqLOZq3LpB8SE0ApkmOqPzAFR2PpPK34KO7829bcGbafZTzShH9-eAZR2VJ=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Stacey Stearnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06547504736100974364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785597161680052374.post-61571410637862864182022-06-01T07:05:00.000-04:002022-06-01T07:05:00.153-04:00Horseback Riding in Acadia National Park <p> <i>This article was originally published on Equitrekking.com in October 2017.</i></p><p><span face="Poppins, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">You can’t get there from here. Well, you can, it’s just a long drive. But it will be worth it. Acadia became a national park in 1919 and is the only national park in New England. The park is 47,000 acres and is located on Mount Desert Island in Maine, near Bar Harbor.</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEishVJNn7NA0Q3PMsyo8M68FANcext7k2oizYL1y22DXaUGnu8x4PqcQwuMyIoYe3srXNirs7WjxKlDj8QJBU7RqjYBTeuyJHBDsuiBZAKkTqmGlA5cJHiQfS4NhleDC_K9VsdrP76sca58S-jnBEdIhRpBIfWqbmn-Jd9q3ZvjyBfQak2qVG4AFlWf=s600" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEishVJNn7NA0Q3PMsyo8M68FANcext7k2oizYL1y22DXaUGnu8x4PqcQwuMyIoYe3srXNirs7WjxKlDj8QJBU7RqjYBTeuyJHBDsuiBZAKkTqmGlA5cJHiQfS4NhleDC_K9VsdrP76sca58S-jnBEdIhRpBIfWqbmn-Jd9q3ZvjyBfQak2qVG4AFlWf=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Debbie on Angie and me on John. Photo: Clowater Art & Photography.</td></tr></tbody></table><span face="Poppins, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span face="Poppins, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">John D. Rockefeller Jr. and his family gifted 45 miles of beautiful carriage roads to the park. Rockefeller was a horseman and wanted to travel in the park without a car. He also loved building roads and ensured the carriage roads in Acadia would be state of the art. Construction lasted from 1913 to 1940 – but the roads offer sweeping vistas and close-up views to all park users. The carriage roads weave through the mountains and valleys of the park, over intricate stone bridges, and past the many ponds. Rockefeller also financed 16 of the 17 stone-faced bridges. They are reinforced with steel and concrete, and the design of each bridge is unique.</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgubJs0ApLgKPtbO20-pE9FB9xNhFul4i2oAb7wTuXsxcXQdeMc0XpVtPOB32EbYJYMi2pJnNL-H87P7cO0XQnyDenBqwBhuKiQHX9AjdyEtrtejaIyxtd6Yn_X_DNfXB61ICuHs6RspBfwxwaG0W-aRlPwkUSo1kEIYMygbXBhOX3XYhJVSavOI3db=s680" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgubJs0ApLgKPtbO20-pE9FB9xNhFul4i2oAb7wTuXsxcXQdeMc0XpVtPOB32EbYJYMi2pJnNL-H87P7cO0XQnyDenBqwBhuKiQHX9AjdyEtrtejaIyxtd6Yn_X_DNfXB61ICuHs6RspBfwxwaG0W-aRlPwkUSo1kEIYMygbXBhOX3XYhJVSavOI3db=s320" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tim on Scout and me on Secret. Photo: Clowater Art & Photography</td></tr></tbody></table><span face="Poppins, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span face="Poppins, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">There are 57 miles of carriage roads total – 12 of the miles are on private property. The roads are 16-feet wide, the same width as a regular road. They are crowned, meaning they are tallest in the middle, allowing precipitation to run to the ditches and culverts on either side. Stone culverts help the carriage roads contend with rain, and divert rainwater back to the streams.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) began working in the park in 1933 and helped build the carriage roads. Their camp near Eagle Lake is now the park headquarters. The Friends of Acadia contributes $200,000 each year from their endowment for carriage road maintenance.</p><h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #212121; font-family: Montserrat, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px auto 15px; padding: 0px;">Logistics</h3><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">The best directions are using the GPS coordinates available on the park website. You’ll need to purchase a park pass; they’re $25 for 7 days for a non-commercial vehicle. Passes are required from May 1st through October 31st. Print the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/acad/planyourvisit/upload/crummap.pdf" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">carriage road map</a> and carry it with you while you ride. Many areas have no cell service.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;"><a href="http://www.acadiamagic.com/wildwood-stables.html" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">Wildwood Stables</a> is located within the park and offers 34 stalls for rent to equestrians. You can access the stables from the Park Loop Road; it’s in the southeastern part of Acadia. Private concessionaires run the stables for the national park. You can also camp across the driveway from the stables. Stalls fill quickly, and it’s best to call soon after the January 1st opening date to make your reservations. Wildwood Stables also offers one and two-hour carriage rides through the park for those without their own horse.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">The Park Loop Road is 27 miles long, and in many places is one-way. Some two-way traffic is near Wildwood Stables. You can park at Wildwood Stables or Brown Mountain parking lot if you’re only visiting for the day. You must clean up any manure around your horse trailer before you leave.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">I recommend hoof protection; the loose gravel on the carriage roads can be tough on hooves. If you want to give your horse a day off, there are 120 miles of hiking trails within the park. Make sure you carry water with you while out riding or hiking.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">The hiking trails are off limits to horses. A couple of carriage roads horses aren’t allowed on include around Witch Hole Pond, Paradise Hill Loop, and Eagle Lake Loop. You can ride horses between markers 7 and 8 by Eagle Lake, which allows equestrians access to additional miles.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">Cadillac Mountain is the highest point on the North Atlantic seaboard at 1,530 feet. From October 7 through March 6 it’s the first place to view the sunrise in the United States. It’s one of 20 mountains on Mount Desert Island that were created millions of years ago by tectonic and volcanic forces. While you can’t ride up the summit road, it’s well worth the drive someday while your horse is back at Wildwood Stables. The 3.5-mile road has several observation points along the way and spectacular views at the summit.</p><h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #212121; font-family: Montserrat, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px auto 15px; padding: 0px;">On the Trail</h3><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">Granite rocks shaped as teeth and rectangles irregularly line the carriage roads in places and serve as guardrails for safety. They’re affectionately known as Rockefeller’s teeth, although the real term is coping stones. Cedar signposts at intersections correspond to the numbers on the map and help all trail users find their way.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgX2unhsnGJNom6hevDbNkGi5AaDKWHCfv-ZxbQJtf_AZnKwcbH9o2kMR76FLJY8e5LGHwfnUxJ9fGZKwmM27HwZTDUWYKTPea9WCRTj_sfs4Uw_lrjUx5up4wq1iNWxm21YpXbPgmeAEMKr9Y-PA08uRDXVL0PxEt1QvAkDfXg3VIXS-cfCpA8BUmj=s600" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgX2unhsnGJNom6hevDbNkGi5AaDKWHCfv-ZxbQJtf_AZnKwcbH9o2kMR76FLJY8e5LGHwfnUxJ9fGZKwmM27HwZTDUWYKTPea9WCRTj_sfs4Uw_lrjUx5up4wq1iNWxm21YpXbPgmeAEMKr9Y-PA08uRDXVL0PxEt1QvAkDfXg3VIXS-cfCpA8BUmj=s320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The teeth along the trail.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">Native plants including blueberries and sweet fern blend the carriage roads into the landscape. The fall foliage is stunning, making the scenic vistas even more enjoyable. The first time I rode at Acadia, many of the vistas were shrouded in fog on day one. If you plan a couple of days for your trip, you’ll be sure to catch a few of the views.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">The first time I drove by Jordan Pond Gate Lodge I was completely enamored with the stonework and façade. Jordan Pond Gate Lodge remains a favorite spot to ride past. There is a second gate lodge near Northeast Harbor. Paul Simpson, an engineer, lived in Jordan Pond Gate Lodge with his family during road construction. Today there is a food concession and restrooms.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">One of my favorite loops is to ride up along the carriage road parallel to Jordan Pond, then, along the southern end of Eagle Pond, from marker 8 to marker 7, and back down past Bubble Pond. You ride over three of the stone bridges on this loop. Another loop goes west of Jordan Pond and crosses many of the bridges.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">As one of my friends said before my first ride at Acadia, you’re either going uphill or downhill the entire time. The beautiful gravel trails are deceiving, it doesn’t always feel hard, but your horse is working. Go easy and happy trails!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2uACKc3CpnQABSRCa3Sjh44fArnlXkGuydPa_bWHA51ltI-edkeSyp7QkweHaMSGWqamKo6G6iTzDVYX56cYSpX3t7PAuPrVywM8zdsTBNGaq9KT1oLYJ1lw1R-LflubGcsH8n_tIoIO_dAC8dlAPgLeTA6F_g2G1G7P2-sR18Ly47jmc_T-Gobdr=s600" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2uACKc3CpnQABSRCa3Sjh44fArnlXkGuydPa_bWHA51ltI-edkeSyp7QkweHaMSGWqamKo6G6iTzDVYX56cYSpX3t7PAuPrVywM8zdsTBNGaq9KT1oLYJ1lw1R-LflubGcsH8n_tIoIO_dAC8dlAPgLeTA6F_g2G1G7P2-sR18Ly47jmc_T-Gobdr=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkQ1dXm3Vuw73BWmhhqul66dQ_KWCfFxqQLlERLhghWhspif6wWXIRLI4d5M0Hxq_kkWFakvNV7UubF1QiOtjOlS0BeDppS6vxkBoex1rYkbXpGTlwHtTkx6IMTWvHpmz4BM3-SzdM9il19pb1XoZnYlg1PCzWbKF0qdF-VWTNI5GQnvPOd1XBNIGh=s600" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkQ1dXm3Vuw73BWmhhqul66dQ_KWCfFxqQLlERLhghWhspif6wWXIRLI4d5M0Hxq_kkWFakvNV7UubF1QiOtjOlS0BeDppS6vxkBoex1rYkbXpGTlwHtTkx6IMTWvHpmz4BM3-SzdM9il19pb1XoZnYlg1PCzWbKF0qdF-VWTNI5GQnvPOd1XBNIGh=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiif10qn7Sc0DFW-I7-uz6wShK8VekswVT0sT1G0T9r7fheoIi9eVJATyZ3YjqzuLcnWTMGTsiB3s6E70eKFNonwEV_1NEnUdFTGfxyidcwVKkJr1uTAqxMM5S905beqBjtI7GJvn5Nqb-7-Kh2FnOufNaQFHlxshPHLq7rM22Nj1ahIgQ9dG8TtWeT=s600" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiif10qn7Sc0DFW-I7-uz6wShK8VekswVT0sT1G0T9r7fheoIi9eVJATyZ3YjqzuLcnWTMGTsiB3s6E70eKFNonwEV_1NEnUdFTGfxyidcwVKkJr1uTAqxMM5S905beqBjtI7GJvn5Nqb-7-Kh2FnOufNaQFHlxshPHLq7rM22Nj1ahIgQ9dG8TtWeT=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinU-gglLLO_sungnb1dXv3-Ba2-M9V0qSuOnVD7Il_kY757mhLc0tu0Oq05DZaTmy2H9mofFufrcAAH4Pv3haRyXJz20K8tFfhtS8gs8fZAECi420Sh6iCgN95OaJLCcEpAibFgxzdUgBQpJhMOEp9zMPaCsOn_Yq2AFp_dQmeMCSK9q8nN7UY09nz=s680" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinU-gglLLO_sungnb1dXv3-Ba2-M9V0qSuOnVD7Il_kY757mhLc0tu0Oq05DZaTmy2H9mofFufrcAAH4Pv3haRyXJz20K8tFfhtS8gs8fZAECi420Sh6iCgN95OaJLCcEpAibFgxzdUgBQpJhMOEp9zMPaCsOn_Yq2AFp_dQmeMCSK9q8nN7UY09nz=s320" width="212" /></a></div><br /><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;"><br /></p>Stacey Stearnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06547504736100974364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785597161680052374.post-3492831835960008582022-05-22T08:03:00.003-04:002022-05-22T08:03:46.339-04:00Life Lessons from Ridecamp: The Dance Card<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPkv_iIBzklT9CKD6Q27RPF1QUQRPwrgGSM5yzdExdb-n0RYfmwSxqxFX2Rt4cPUJ4IGJSZMiNkNPW4XZi7EQgBOCeJ-b-6ZnlPQyWpnz-HLlbOH4mcBOpG4X8wBVSffHVg5yn9-nfeTTLMvmSEnXjm2gBzLvMKyrUME5W7m8k2A6O4mgDpsCF5WHR/s1800/686C55B9-930C-46D0-9057-4132FBAC69A1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPkv_iIBzklT9CKD6Q27RPF1QUQRPwrgGSM5yzdExdb-n0RYfmwSxqxFX2Rt4cPUJ4IGJSZMiNkNPW4XZi7EQgBOCeJ-b-6ZnlPQyWpnz-HLlbOH4mcBOpG4X8wBVSffHVg5yn9-nfeTTLMvmSEnXjm2gBzLvMKyrUME5W7m8k2A6O4mgDpsCF5WHR/s320/686C55B9-930C-46D0-9057-4132FBAC69A1.JPG" width="256" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Between the ears on a spring 2022 ride.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I started filling out my dance card for the riding season in February. It's the list of rides I want to attend this year, mostly endurance rides, with a few key pleasure rides and places I want to explore. These rides are both for fun or to chase my mileage goals. Some are both.</p><p>It's an ambitious list, and it always is. The thing with horses is that the list (at least for me) will probably always be more ambitious than my horses or I can accomplish in one season. My horses also don't have the opportunity to contribute to the list or weigh in on their opinion, rather they gracefully help me accomplish my goals.</p><p>Dance cards became a thing in the 1800s in Vienna. Women used them to track which dance they were dancing with which man at a ball. It also provided background information on the music (composer etc.) for each dance.</p><p>Some, including me, still use the term in modern times to talk about our schedules, either what we want to do or when our schedule is full and can't fit anything else in. My dance card is always full, and sometimes there is more than one option for a particular "dance," but I'm okay with that.</p><p>First, the dance card, ride schedule or whatever you want to call it gives us a chance to set goals and plan for the year. It helps draft a training schedule, or at least reserve the time on the calendar so it doesn't get taken up by anything else.</p><p>Dance cards are also aspirational, it shows where we want to go and what is possible. There's a common phrase among equestrians, "that's horses," and while my dance card for this year is posted on my fridge as a reminder, it's also already changed. One ride was moved to the fall by the organizers, I had two options one weekend, and obviously only picked one (although I'm ecstatic with the choice), and am staying home Memorial Day weekend rather than going to another.</p><p>I'll probably keep making a dance card every year in February. I'm sure there will be changes by May again each year too. The process of making a dance card brings clarity for the upcoming season and a sense of joy on a winter's day though. And through the grace and partnership of my horses, some of those dances will be completed.</p><p><i><a href="http://rideeverystride.blogspot.com/2021/11/life-lessons-from-ride-camp.html" target="_blank">Life Lessons From Ridecamp</a> is a series that shares the lessons our horses and ride camp taught me and how they apply to the rest of my life. </i></p>Stacey Stearnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06547504736100974364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785597161680052374.post-32011042884311294542022-05-18T07:00:00.001-04:002022-05-18T07:00:00.149-04:00Massachusetts Trails Roundup: 10 Places to Ride in the Bay State<p> <i>This article was originally published in 2017 on Equitrekking.com</i></p><h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #212121; font-family: Montserrat, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px auto 15px; padding: 0px;">The Bay State has thousands of acres for equestrians to enjoy. From the Berkshires to the bay, there is something for everyone. Here are a few of my favorites to add to your trail riding bucket list.</h3><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">1. <a href="https://www.mass.gov/locations/blue-hills-reservation" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; outline: none !important; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">Blue Hills Reservation</a>, Milton </p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">Twenty minutes outside of Boston is 7,000 acres and 125 miles of trails. Early European settlers were sailing the coastline and noticed the bluish hue, hence the name Blue Hills. This was one of the first public recreation areas in Massachusetts, and given its location, is incredibly popular with many trail users. Trails are marked and well maintained. In the fall you can enjoy the foliage in the forest, and the peaceful trails quickly make you forget the proximity of the city.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">2.<a href="https://www.mass.gov/locations/robinson-state-park" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; outline: none !important; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank"> Robinson State Park</a>, Feeding Hills<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Driving through a residential area, I was a bit skeptical about what I would find when I arrived at Robinson State Park. Tucked in behind the houses is a picturesque park that follows the path of the Merrimac River. There are 20 miles of trails, and while we share them with many other trail users, the scenery, smooth footing, and options make Robinson a candidate for your repeat destination list.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhasL_AvoxqwgX9kGW4O5au72lWIHb-IIoEACARpFJ7XR30ccj6ezb7YXb77WUTSjybJoKid_znA5ngx6sYPqA4uyThXVjigiM3tE9KwQFYlM3CyXqQNRbviwAtu3I9gvykM3uyIzaMoeTudVXBK9XYRxtPRcQoob1fQO48Jfz8s3ex_K5q6BwhL7RH=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhasL_AvoxqwgX9kGW4O5au72lWIHb-IIoEACARpFJ7XR30ccj6ezb7YXb77WUTSjybJoKid_znA5ngx6sYPqA4uyThXVjigiM3tE9KwQFYlM3CyXqQNRbviwAtu3I9gvykM3uyIzaMoeTudVXBK9XYRxtPRcQoob1fQO48Jfz8s3ex_K5q6BwhL7RH=s320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My friend Cathie riding in Robinson State Park.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">3. <a href="https://www.mass.gov/locations/myles-standish-state-forest" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; outline: none !important; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">Myles Standish State Forest</a>, South Carver<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Myles Standish is the largest publicly owned recreation area in southeastern Massachusetts at 15,000 acres. It also boasts an equestrian-only campground at Charge Pond and 35 miles of equestrian-friendly trails. Enjoy the northernmost section of the Pine Barrens, flat, sandy footing, and an abundance of wildlife.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">4. <a href="https://www.mass.gov/locations/nickerson-state-park" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; outline: none !important; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">Nickerson State Park</a>, Brewster<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />This place has it all – beach, woods, and rail trail. Plan your visit for spring, fall, or winter. In the summer, Nickerson becomes a bustling campground and the beach fills with swimmers and is off limits to equestrians. You can ride the beach and enjoy the Massachusetts Bay from October through April. A wide, unpaved shoulder on the 22-mile Cape Cod Rail Trail is horse friendly and can be accessed from Nickerson, the halfway point. In the woods, there are eight freshwater kettle ponds and trails to enjoy. </p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">5. <a href="https://www.mass.gov/locations/douglas-state-forest" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; outline: none !important; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">Douglas State Forest,</a> Douglas<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />With 30 miles of marked trails and 4,600 acres, Douglas State Forest is a favorite among local trail riders. Ride past ponds, through streams, and along a reservoir. The babbling brooks, wildlife, and forest make this location idyllic. You can encounter some of the rocks that New England is known for on the woods trail, or use the forest roads to enjoy smoother footing.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">6. <a href="https://www.mass.gov/locations/wompatuck-state-park" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; outline: none !important; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">Wompatuck State Park</a>, Hingham<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Known affectionately by trail users as Wompy, this park is 4,000 acres and just 35 minutes outside of Boston. Paved roads, bridle paths, and hiking trails abound, and you’ll have plenty of company from other trail users out in the woods. Trails are well marked and maintained in Wompy. There is an 8.5 mile permanently marked bridle trail for equestrians that runs from the north end to the south end of the park. Wompy trails also connect to the trails in <a href="http://www.thetrustees.org/places-to-visit/south-shore/whitney-thayer-woods.html" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; outline: none !important; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;">Whitney and Thayer Woods</a> and Turkey Hill, offering more areas to explore.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">7. <a href="https://www.mass.gov/locations/pittsfield-state-forest" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; outline: none !important; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">Pittsfield State Forest</a>, Pittsfield<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />No trip to the Bay State is complete without a stop in the Berkshires. Pittsfield State Forest offers views of the Taconic Mountain range that separates Massachusetts and New York. Berry Mountain is a popular local destination. Equestrians can enjoy 30 miles of trails, where you’ll encounter waterfalls, streams, flora, and wildlife.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">8. <a href="https://www.mass.gov/locations/great-brook-farm-state-park" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; outline: none !important; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">Great Brook Farm State Park</a>, Carlisle<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />With cross-country jumps built into the trails, you know this one was meant for equestrians! The park is only 1,000 acres but is home to a working dairy farm, and an ice cream store. The 20 miles of trails are through open fields, woods, and around ponds and streams.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;"></p><center style="box-sizing: border-box;"></center><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 25px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">9.<span> </span><a href="https://www.mass.gov/locations/chester-blandford-state-forest" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; outline: none !important; text-decoration: none !important; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">Chester-Blandford State Forest</a>, Chester<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />The 60-foot Sanderson Brook Falls is one of the highlights of Chester-Blandford State Forest. The 2,308 acres were originally built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and have approximately 1,000 feet in elevation change while out on the trail. Although the area doesn’t have extensive trails for equestrians, Sanderson Brook and the waterfall make this one worth the visit. Ride in the fall for spectacular foliage. There are a couple of technical bridge crossings on the way up to the falls.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUrza64sj0VUGKSQPfHKuwdu08T603NH6U24nzMJydoigy3bWW9QkIb7aL-HJWVaIa1Bt245dape9B7c_AnNpG6q_ALAkClsPekyZYal9m90Mo8uzE6XWfHJ3pGKeSL6VVzGu3k5kwRI-hRGZ_h34qx3zOovKOpSiL2zO1sp2meo_9ltoj5BZ9lucN=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUrza64sj0VUGKSQPfHKuwdu08T603NH6U24nzMJydoigy3bWW9QkIb7aL-HJWVaIa1Bt245dape9B7c_AnNpG6q_ALAkClsPekyZYal9m90Mo8uzE6XWfHJ3pGKeSL6VVzGu3k5kwRI-hRGZ_h34qx3zOovKOpSiL2zO1sp2meo_9ltoj5BZ9lucN=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The falls.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 25px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">10. <a href="http://www.thetrustees.org/places-to-visit/north-shore/crane-beach.html?" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; outline: none !important; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">Crane Beach</a>, Ipswich<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Crane Beach is the location that every equestrian dream of when they think about galloping a horse along the beach. Each fall, the Horses Helping Horses Trail Ride is held here, and equestrians rave about the ride. Play in the surf, smell the salt air, and gallop down an empty stretch of sand on the North Shore. Horses are allowed on the beach between October 1st and March 30th. If you come on your own, you’ll need to be a member ($47) and purchase a trailer permit fee ($100), which is expensive. But, it supports the Trustees of Reservations, who manage this and numerous other properties in Massachusetts that equestrians can enjoy. Your permit is good for the entire season, you can come back regularly and enjoy Ipswich Bay.</p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 25px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Not finding what you’re looking for? I left out a bunch of great destinations; it was hard to only pick ten. <a href="http://www.weston.org/470/Conservation-Lands-Trails" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; outline: none !important; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">Weston Trails</a> have their own horse show rings adjacent to their trail system. Riding the grounds of an estate complete with a huge stone house at <a href="https://www.mass.gov/locations/borderland-state-park" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; outline: none !important; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">Borderland</a>. <a href="https://www.mass.gov/locations/brimfield-state-forest" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; outline: none !important; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">Brimfield State Forest</a> offers miles of trails and an area where you can still see tornado damage. <a href="https://www.mass.gov/locations/harold-parker-state-forest" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; outline: none !important; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">Harold Parker State Forest</a> in North Andover has long been a favorite for equestrians. <a href="https://www.mass.gov/locations/savoy-mountain-state-forest" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; outline: none !important; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">Savoy Mountain State Forest</a> in Florida, MA offers the rugged beauty of the Berkshires with stunning views and technical trails.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiibpuT7LpGsZ0jTyTNoNJKmXYoQxKuKT6l8UKbsjodwEoT_fSizze0347Koe_flEkDIukpalpxCbL-G4U6abOFYrtbargmdcbV7mRw5cLuK88KwRKaVVwgU6Fbx2HfIhAVQYZ8EYmD_RwS5hWprDAjpdG86GEvb5fWJ1TrRxSBp6Zhuq_ShapV7VH4=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiibpuT7LpGsZ0jTyTNoNJKmXYoQxKuKT6l8UKbsjodwEoT_fSizze0347Koe_flEkDIukpalpxCbL-G4U6abOFYrtbargmdcbV7mRw5cLuK88KwRKaVVwgU6Fbx2HfIhAVQYZ8EYmD_RwS5hWprDAjpdG86GEvb5fWJ1TrRxSBp6Zhuq_ShapV7VH4=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVploaTrWF5cVGSgFuhst_7MECwbdNmzaqYWgrLWYBNbK3xuQnYZqCEH3_yWLhuiFEByDozI48H221wY3mC5xM7d-b1Ce_mlEcmSYwb24tUd62hVVeLaKunX3AcuR-1Hg5JOH0BeTY8MvnPzgtCF_ujoKi65j_BwU36I3oKVdE5x0wHMDzSoa0_G-B=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVploaTrWF5cVGSgFuhst_7MECwbdNmzaqYWgrLWYBNbK3xuQnYZqCEH3_yWLhuiFEByDozI48H221wY3mC5xM7d-b1Ce_mlEcmSYwb24tUd62hVVeLaKunX3AcuR-1Hg5JOH0BeTY8MvnPzgtCF_ujoKi65j_BwU36I3oKVdE5x0wHMDzSoa0_G-B=s320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Borderlands State Park.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 25px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">The <a href="http://www.thetrustees.org/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; outline: none !important; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">Trustees of Reservations</a> and <a href="https://www.mass.gov/orgs/department-of-conservation-recreation" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; outline: none !important; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation</a> both have a search feature by activity. Explore all of the equestrian trails the Bay State has to offer. Come ride with us! There is a trail to challenge every horse and rider, or take you back in time and let you enjoy the woods. See you on the trail!</p>Stacey Stearnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06547504736100974364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785597161680052374.post-59921184742796888422022-05-11T07:54:00.001-04:002022-05-11T07:54:00.154-04:00Trail Guide: Myles Standish State Forest in Massachusetts<p> <i>This was originally published on Equitrekking.com in November of 2017.</i></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I recently returned from competing in a 30-mile limited distance endurance ride at </span><a href="https://www.mass.gov/locations/myles-standish-state-forest" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; outline: none !important; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">Myles Standish State </a><a href="https://www.mass.gov/locations/myles-standish-state-forest" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; outline: none !important; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">Forest</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> in Carver and Plymouth, Massachusetts. The ride was sponsored by the </span><a href="http://www.orgsites.com/ct/neato/" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; outline: none !important; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">New England Arabian Trail Organization</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> and sanctioned by the </span><a href="https://aerc.org/" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; outline: none !important; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">American Endurance Ride Conference.</a></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjR9HRi4Wmiugcyi6qH-vEP4eF87CZ9qOmrkPxGkzVRUx9Kp3XXweJUMBzxUgoa4P1OUQhTNl-Xf3HWfxIw09QWKXwrYLjMCRk7m3FAbl8ND0RdTX6sBE1GhLvWYF7U3QU1voDM-z8pmzP-k6l648yRM_1FRQvGeGvvoW8Yo0mwN82zcEJEOlWTS2ey=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjR9HRi4Wmiugcyi6qH-vEP4eF87CZ9qOmrkPxGkzVRUx9Kp3XXweJUMBzxUgoa4P1OUQhTNl-Xf3HWfxIw09QWKXwrYLjMCRk7m3FAbl8ND0RdTX6sBE1GhLvWYF7U3QU1voDM-z8pmzP-k6l648yRM_1FRQvGeGvvoW8Yo0mwN82zcEJEOlWTS2ey=s320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from my saddle - those are Kerry Killarney's ears.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">The 15,000-acre forest is the northernmost section of the Pine Barrens. Riding in Myles Standish is eerily similar to riding in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey, but a distinct ride nonetheless. Access to the forest is conveniently located off of Interstate 495. You’re only about 10 minutes away once you exit the highway. You drive in past a few cranberry bogs and through residential neighborhoods before arriving at forest headquarters in Carver.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">There are 35 miles of equestrian trails within the forest. A horse camping area with 37 campsites is located at Charge Pond - Area C. Larger rigs may have difficulty navigating the equestrian campground. There is sand that has challenged a few goosenecks and low-hanging trees surrounding narrow campsites. A day-use parking area for equestrians on Halfway Pond Road has a large paved parking lot and a grass field. You’ll see the brown sign and turn off on the left after you’ve passed the forest headquarters. The day-use parking lot is in Carver, while the horse campground is in Plymouth.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) manages Myles Standish. Maps, campsite reservations, and additional information are available on their website at <a href="https://www.mass.gov/orgs/department-of-conservation-recreation" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; outline: none !important; text-decoration-line: none !important; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank">mass.gov/dcr.</a> Be aware that hunting is allowed in the forest during the fall and winter months.</p><h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #212121; font-family: Montserrat, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px auto 15px; padding: 0px;">On The Trails</h3><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;"></p><center style="box-sizing: border-box;"></center><p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 25px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">I rode a little over 30 miles in Myles Standish State Forest and only repeated about a mile of trail. There were another 5 or 6 miles of equestrian trails we left unexplored, and riding the trails in different segments would also add more variety. I’ve always come to Myles Standish in the fall, but I imagine a trip in the spring would create an entirely different landscape to explore as the area comes to life again after a dormant winter.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">Even though Myles Standish is in southeastern Massachusetts, the terrain is rolling. We would crest a small hill, only to find an undulating roller coaster of sand road ahead of us, with more hills to climb. Footing on the trails consisted of sand and rocks. In a few places, the sand was deeper sugar sand. The fire roads on the Carver side of the forest tend to be rocky and washed out, the footing is better on the Plymouth side of the forest. I recommend hoof protection.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">The forest is well marked with the occasional map mounted on a signpost at key intersections, and many brown DCR signs telling you the trail you are on and the distance to key points. There were also road signs on the dirt roads that helped us keep track of our location within the forest. I always ride with a map, and you’ll definitely need one in Myles Standish.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">Paved bike paths cross the bridle paths and trails at numerous places throughout the forest. There are 15 miles of paved bicycle trails total. Use caution to avoid a collision as these can really pop out at you without much warning, and are frequented by cyclists.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">Trails at Myles Standish are challenging. However, there is a serene beauty to riding in Myles Standish. The sandy trails are offset by the greens of what looked like marsh grass, and the burnt red of the bushes in late fall. The tall pines with their green needles were the final backdrops. My Morgan gelding can smell good grass a mile away, and never showed any interest in the grass at Myles Standish – hence my guess that it's sandy marsh grass.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">Upon returning home, I was curious and Googled the types of grass in Myles Standish. Of the 63 varieties on the list, names such as poverty grass, dune grass, and warty panic grass also provided an indication that this wasn’t grass that my horses usually eat.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">At one point, we were riding down a dirt road, and as I looked to my right into the forest, the pine trees were all in perfectly straight rows. Someone had obviously planted them a long time ago. I’m assuming that was the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) based on the size of the trees. The CCC built infrastructure in state and national parks across the country in the 1930s, including many of the parks in Massachusetts.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">Myles Standish is dotted with 16 freshwater and kettle ponds. Every once in a while, we would come around a bend in the trail to find a clearing, and a pond down in the hollow. We never got close to any of the ponds, but the backdrop was lovely. Several of the ponds are ecologically sensitive, and access is limited or not allowed.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiSY9NO2I_uWu5fmgrOXbx8BnWjd0HfZtbvmd_hAJxQLRRhDyPhj_d4nEszon47dL7OP4CRz58K3QHA1ZMZ1xjJgX_abf0isptPDwHgBry50vFQaBF3-gmLXCvvTk7Bjn4S4iYy7czgk08jgTJT_S-BdUAWKNWKRAIR8b-EqTl54BDbYEE2UCmhI1_q=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiSY9NO2I_uWu5fmgrOXbx8BnWjd0HfZtbvmd_hAJxQLRRhDyPhj_d4nEszon47dL7OP4CRz58K3QHA1ZMZ1xjJgX_abf0isptPDwHgBry50vFQaBF3-gmLXCvvTk7Bjn4S4iYy7czgk08jgTJT_S-BdUAWKNWKRAIR8b-EqTl54BDbYEE2UCmhI1_q=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">East Head Reservoir.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 25px;">There is quite a bit of single-track trail through the woods that twists and winds like a long piece of spaghetti. Diagonal changes every five strides or so, and quite a bit of walking accompanied these stretches of the trail for me, as random roots from the pine trees and rocks left behind by the glaciers made the area even more technical. There were also areas where the trees are close to the trail, and threaten your kneecaps. However, it’s a great stretch of trail for working on your seat, transitions and bending. Or you can walk these areas and just enjoy being in the forest. See you on the trails!</p>Stacey Stearnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06547504736100974364noreply@blogger.com0