Base camp

Friday, April 24, 201

  I’m writing (offline) from my cocoon at 9:30pm snuggled in with at least two layers of clothing and a hat and scarf (my gloves are in here but not on yet) in my sleeping bag suspended about 18 inches from the rubber mat floor of my horse trailer. I am not sure what the temp is currently but the low tonight is  predicted to be 34 so I figured it’s best to be prepared. Except for one winter camping trip in high school where we had to dig our tent site out of the snow, I have never camped in these cold of temps. In fact I don’t think it really sunk in when I was preparing for it. But I am thankful because freeze warnings and cold fronts mean cooler days as well and that gives my horse a better chance at doing well tomorrow. 

  We arrived at camp around 1:30. I found an open spot next to a friendly woman and her gray Arabian Majik. The corral was easy to put up rather quickly and I checked in with ride management and got my rider number: we are 10. 

  I spent some time grazing Faygo and walking her around – worrying slightly about the stiffness in her back leg after a 3 hour trailer ride we hand walked and jogged a little then headed to the vet check. My concerns were unfounded, she got A+ on every score and a ‘perfect’ body condition score of 5. (1 being dangerously thin and 10 being dangerously obese… For endurance riding and for most general health a 5 is just right!) 

 Then I decided to tack up and take a short ride before dinner and the ride meeting. I wanted to be sure I hadn’t forgotten anything and let her move her legs a little. We rode about 3 miles and saw the first part of tomorrow’s trail up to the ridge- it looks like it will be a pretty ride.  

 Back in camp I have electrolyted and fed a few smaller grain meals and tossed hay. Thankfully she finally drank about half her water by the end of the ride meeting. My neighbor has been really helpful- she had a crayon to mark our number on faygo’s butt (that was not on my prep list!), and told me to get my crew bag on the trailer tonight (not tomorrow morning as I’d thought) and that it has to go inside the black trash bag with my rider number on it that I was given at check in. (I actually thought that was for trash!)

Dinner and meeting was good- I’ve met at least 3 people I’d either been told to look for or have ‘met’ on Facebook and everyone is very helpful and friendly. There are about 40 riders doing the 55mile and 25 riders doing the 30 tomorrow so it’s a good crowd. 

I’m snuggled in with Faygo right outside the ‘window’ and I love hearing her munching on hay and especially love hearing her drinking water. She is calm and relaxed. 

I am also feeling relaxed. If I don’t freeze tonight… We should finish tomorrow… As my ‘roommate’ next door says “as long as you don’t get lost!”  

She didn’t finish her first ride because she wandered around lost more than once and went over time. 

So- let’s not get lost girl!

  
Sweet dreams!