Saturday, July 14, 2012

City of Rocks: Day 4




Saturday July 14 2012

It sure wasn't hot temperature-wise today, but it was hot in a lightning kind of way! It started out with a cool overcast day, and around noon the thunderstorms hit us. Terrific downpour in camp. One lightning bolt dropped within a couple hundred yards of camp; another hit closer. Spooked horses. Two got loose (were quickly caught). Spooked people (ME!!!). Bolts dropped a couple hundred yards from riders out on trail - including the German Canadian Bates Creek Team! Rushcreek Mac, with Katrin riding bolted and reared, and was forever after shaking and jumping with every crack of thunder. He comes from the Rushcreek Ranch in Nebraska, where thunderstorms can be fierce. A while afterward, Katrin farted in the saddle (oh… she is going to kill me for saying this : ) and it scared Mac so bad he crouched down.

But everybody survived, and pretty much had a great ride. 

Here are a few pictures from the day:
Karen and Thunder - one of the 3 4-day horses on the 50's.

This junior, one of the Church kids, rode the 25 with her sponsor - bareback and with just a halter - and won! These kids know how to RIDE!

German Canadian Tie-Dye Bates Creek Team!

Endurance riders in City of Rocks National Reserve.

Anya and Jose! Twin Sisters in the background.

Katrin on Mac explaining the terrifying bolts of lightning. Anya said Jose only flinched when the bolts hit.

Above: Dave Rabe (55,000+ miles) and White Cloud (5000+ miles). They were one of the three 4-day horses on the 50's.

10 comments:

  1. That must've been frightening indeed! But it ended up being a wonderful story! Did you ride with the others?
    Janneke

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  2. Thunder and lightning scare my dogs so badly that they really freak out. I'm scared of them too. Be safe out there!

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  3. That is scary! I'm not sure I'd want to be out there with lightning strikes all around. Glad no one got hurt.

    Bareback?? Way to go. Put that in your pipe and smoke it all you people who think a treed saddle is the only way to ride. (I'm a treeless fan and one of the tree arguments is always that you need to tree to distribute the rider's weight over the horse's back. That's impossible bareback, so if a horse can be ridden long distances bareback, who needs a tree....or, apparently, a bridle. WOW!!!!)

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  4. Janneke, I didn't get to ride this time. But Jose was in good hands with Anya... or Anya was in good hands with Jose : )

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  5. Next time:). You did make beautiful pictures (as usual!) and it sounds really like a fun week in a beautiful place! Thank you for sharing

    Janneke

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  6. The thunderstorm sounds scary for humans and horses, but the ride scenery is beautiful. Looks like fun.

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  7. Omg...Katrin...hilarious!!!

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  8. Katrin is going to kill you!! LOL ;-)

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  9. Man City of Rocks was a great ride ! LOVED the scenery and had a great time! Be back next year for sure :-) Put it on your list guys because this was a FUN ride.

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  10. In watching the video of day 4, I noticed, Merri that you took a leaf from the Tour de France and filmed along side the riders! However you missed some Jose hearts!!
    Great stuff!

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