Wild Horses

Last night I woke up sobbing from a terrible dream about Tevis. I guess it had to happen sooner or later. However, I really didn’t expect my Tevis Cup nightmares to begin until I was actually entered and counting down the days. Instead it was last night… at least 11 months and possibly years before… Read More »My Tevis Cup Nightmare (Road to Tevis #118) The post My Tevis Cup Nightmare (Road to Tevis #118) appeared first on Wild Horses.... [Read more]

Earlier this week, I shared a post in three places on Facebook: My own page, the AERC page, and Endurance Riders America. I will paste my original post and my edit below, but first I want to say, this is not science! My purpose was twofold. First, I wanted to give everyone an opportunity to… Read More »This is not science! On surveys, opinions, blogs, and Tevis The post This is not science! On surveys, opinions, blogs, and Tevis appeared first on Wild Horses.... [Read more]

During the week I spent in Madrid this summer I visited the new Galería de las Colecciones Reales (translated as the Royal Collections Gallery). It’s a great museum with a fantastic exposition of carriages that ends next month (and some seriously cool bathrooms). As usual, I spent more time looking at horses, and after a… Read More »Bits and bridles on statues, as seen in Madrid The post Bits and bridles on statues, as seen in Madrid appeared first on Wild Horses.... [Read more]

I had hoped to ride Tevis 2024, but as it turned out, my life circumstances this past month made it a lucky thing that my plans fell through. But as I have done the past three years, I will do my best to provide an abbreviated report of the 2024 Tevis Cup results here. There… Read More »Summary of 2024 Tevis Cup results (Road to Tevis #117) The post Summary of 2024 Tevis Cup results (Road to Tevis #117) appeared first on Wild Horses.... [Read more]

Last Monday morning I picked up my new project, a 3/4 Arabian (rest is Quarter Horse) bay gelding called Dillon. Before anyone leaps to conclusions, I’m not planning to do Tevis with Dillon, despite this being a Road to Tevis post. I’m including it because I am still on the road to Tevis, and Dillon… Read More »Dillon’s first six days (Road to Tevis #116) The post Dillon’s first six days (Road to Tevis #116) appeared first on Wild Horses.... [Read more]

Some time ago, I asked two of the endurance community’s most skilled riders and avid storytellers if they’d be interested in featuring in one of my blog posts. I love to tell my own story, but one of its important points is that I am learning. It occurred to me a few months back that… Read More »An interview with Bruce Weary (Road to Tevis # 115) The post An interview with Bruce Weary (Road to Tevis # 115) appeared first on Wild Horses.... [Read more]

On Saturday I chose not to continue after the first big loop at Montana de Oro. It was my first Rider Option. As of this writing, I still do not know exactly why River was not herself, but I do know I did the right thing. Although she was not lame when I vetted out,… Read More »My first Rider Option at Montana de Oro (Road to Tevis #114) The post My first Rider Option at Montana de Oro (Road to Tevis #114) appeared first on Wild Horses.... [Read more]

Three years ago I ordered three yards of 60″ wide 1/2 inch felted wool (“eco-felt”) from The Felt Company. The bad news is that wool is not cheap. The good news is that 3 yds of 60″ wide wool makes a lot of saddle pads. You can’t order two yards, sadly, and I thought one… Read More »How to make felted wool saddle pads The post How to make felted wool saddle pads appeared first on Wild Horses.... [Read more]

I was hoping to give her a perfect completion record, but no such luck. River’s first pull was at Cache Creek Ridge last Saturday. There was certainly reason for her to be sore, and honestly I was not sorry to stop after 25 insanely difficult miles, but still! On the whole though, River did great.… Read More »River’s first pull at Cache Creek Ridge (Road to Tevis #113) The post River’s first pull at Cache Creek Ridge (Road to Tevis #113) appeared first on Wild Horses.... [Read more]

This last weekend River and I completed the first day of the new Treasure of the Sierra Madre endurance ride. It was a beautiful ride with some fun technical trails. We rode with Heidi Helly and her horse OP for the second time, which was, again, a learning experience for both River and me! Jump… Read More »Treasure of the Sierra Madre: River’s 5th 50-mile completion (Road to Tevis 112) The post Treasure of the Sierra Madre: River’s 5th 50-mile completion (Road to Tevis 112) appeared first on Wild Horses.... [Read more]

River and I spent last weekend at the 2024 Cuyama Oaks xpride. That is, we spent April 4th – 7th, 2024, in the Cuyama Valley, east of New Cuyama, California. I make a point of this because it snowed… a lot! It rained and hailed. It was freezing. Water buckets froze. But it was also… Read More »The 2024 Cuyama Oaks xpride: Snow, rain, hail, and sunshine (Road to Tevis 111) The post The 2024 Cuyama Oaks xpride: Snow, rain, hail, and sunshine (Road to Tevis 111) appeared first on Wild Horses.... [Read more]

I learned how to braid tails years ago. When I was a child, I had several books with excellent illustrations and instructions on how to braid manes and tails. Long lost, more’s the pity. Then I braided manes and tails to show in hunt seat classes. Years passed. When my sons showed horses in Oklahoma,… Read More »How to braid a ribbon into a horse’s tail The post How to braid a ribbon into a horse’s tail appeared first on Wild Horses.... [Read more]