And the Plans Change . . .

It appears that my plans will have to change slightly. The fall caused more damage then I originally thought, my angel has ruptured her Peroneus Tertius tendon and she will be laid up for 9 months recovering. Which means that I make this trip on Mystic. I will not be taking a pack horse and will be travelling lighter and quicker than previously planned. This is not how I envisioned making this journey, but the plans are made and events have been set in motion, so I get ready without my partner and hope that she will make a full recovery and perhaps we will take this trip together next year.

Getting Closer . . .

As we get closer to our departure date, preparations are getting underway. I am prioritizing my lists of supplies (and hoping I get some help on that front) and starting to pack up my house and separate out what will be stored at my delightful friends Alexis and James' house(thanks Guys) and what will be sold or donated.
I had a bit of a scare this last week, when my Angel, Strip, took a fall during a lesson and came up seriously off. But she was adjusted today by the worlds best chiropractor, Dr. Steve Johnson, of Corvallis Oregon, and is starting to recover.
Hopefully we will all be ready and willing to head on down the trail as planned. Well I will be willing, they won't know what is going on for a few days, weeks, possibly months . . . lolol

And last but not least, Mystic

What can we say about Mystic, this cranky small pain the the backside is the most amazing championship winning low jumper you have ever seen. She belongs to a friend, Bridget Cromwell, and I have been using her for my students to lease for about 4 years now and she has been an invaluable teacher for them, building their confidence and helping them hone their skills.
When I decided to take this trip and let my clients know about it, one of the people leasing her opted to leave my program and instead of selling her, her owner wanted me to take her along as my pack horse.

So now, the four of us, Strip, Solo, Mystic and myself are getting ready for our adventure, well at least I am, they're all still pretty unsuspecting heh heh heh

And the Dog is Solo

My dog is a healer. That says a lot about him. He is stubborn, tenacious, intelligent, practically indestructible and a general pain in my backside that I wouldn't trade for any other dog.
He has been with me since he was 9 weeks old and when I picked him it was based solely on the big black spot he has on his side. Since his litter hadn't been socialized it was a little like a greased pig chase trying to catch the puppies and when I picked him up he wanted nothing to do with me. So I chose him on his looks and size and took him home, a long drive where he threw up 4 times on my lap, such a good dog. He was the most difficult dog to house break and everything he learned seemed to take forever, but once he understood what I expected, he never forgot it.
He spent every moment of everyday with me until he was 6 and I moved to train at a barn that doesn't allow dogs on the premises and he was made to stay home, everyday I walk out the door is a punishment for him. He is 12 years old now and just as crazy and tough as ever and like most healers totally devoted to me, so regardless of his age he is coming on this trip too, since he would be miserable if I left him.

Yes her name is Strip

About 15 years ago, I took my sister Julia's horses in training, 2 thoroughbreds and one High Spirited Witch of an Arabian. I know that to refer to ones horse as a witch seems a little mean, but she was not my horse at the time and quite frankly she was. My sister wanted to sell her and asked me to work with her. It took several rides for her to figure out that I was not coming off and that she couldn't outlast me or make me mad, no matter what she did, I just laughed and kept on riding until she gave up and did what I wanted. After that she and I would work in the arena, smoothing out her dressage and improving her fence work and then we would head out to the trails for what one person described as some of the most harrowing trail rides they had ever been on.

About 3 months later I was sitting on her in the arena messing around sticking my fingers in her ears and pretending to choke her while she stood calmly and happily as my sister watched in amazement. She couldn't believe the change in the mare and how she seemed happy to let me do just about anything to her. It was that day that Julia gave me Strip, who was nothing I ever wanted in a horse. She is mare, she is grey, she is only 15 hands and she is an Arabian. Being a jumper trainer, I always liked big dark, geldings of the thoroughbred variety and this little crazy mare was not what I had in mind, but she did get me thinking about the trip. After all, Arabians are endurance horses and she was very strong and spirited and after we established who was going to make the decisions in our relationship, very loyal. So I thought that maybe one day we could head out on a great adventure together.

Its been over 14 years now that we have had each other and I would never give up my angel, for while she might be an evil wicked girl to all my students, dropping them on the ground at will, she is her mama's heart and has proven herself too many times to count to be the equine equivalent of a soul mate. The last few years for me have been difficult both personally and professionally. The economic hardships have hit the equestrian industry hard and I have felt the impact myself and about 3 years ago had to have surgery and I am only now starting to feel like I can get back to my normal condition. I have lost some of my focus and passion, but she has always been there for me, waiting to take that trip. So in about a month we leave, off on another harrowing trail ride together, just as it should be.

Getting this whole thing started

O.K. So some of you might be wondering what this is all about. Its quite simple, really, I, my horse, Strip, a friends horse, Mystic, and my dog, Solo, are all taking a cross country trip.

We are headed from Oregon to somewhere on the east coast, not really sure of the final destination, but plan to follow the Oregon Trail at least to Nebraska.

This will be a long journey, both wonderful and horrid, but it is something that I have always wanted to do and now seems to be the time for it.

The past several years have been difficult for me in many ways, what with my health issues and the economy crashing and I have decided that I am not going to wait any longer to do what I want in my life. We spend so much of our time putting off our dreams or letting people talk us out of them and for what?

So, in less than a month's time, this overweight 45 yr old woman, 2 horses and a dog are heading out to fulfill one of my crazy dreams.

So get ready America, I am coming to meet you. I look forward to seeing the truly beautiful country we live in and to get a chance to meet many of my wonderful and interesting neighbors from across the nation.

Date of departure is set for the first half of May, depending on the weather.

If you are interested in helping me get ready, I am compiling an Amazon.com wish list.