LONG time, no post!

 The number of drafts I have...laughable.

So, let me see if I can summarize the past few years.

2019 saw Karma get through her first 50 at Shanghai Trails in March.

Karma crossing the finish line of her first 50!

2019 saw my husband buy me a very old (1999) Trails West with Living Quarters in order to make my ride life better.  Once we ironed out the issues (and got a ball installed in the truck), I have loved Loved LOVED hauling my trailer AND having air conditioning, a big fridge, microwave, cook top, toilet and a shower!  LUXURY!!

New photo, familiar rig. 
The truck is Hannibal, the trailer, Clarice.

2019 saw Strider win the PFHA Distance Horse and Best Conditioned horse in Oklahoma at one of the wettest rides I've ever done.  If it wasn't a National ride, I would have rolled over and gone back to bed.

Strider crossing the finish line, taking the 
championship.

Karma went as well, and after I took a day off from riding, she and I rode on Sunday, where she both Top 10'd AND won the turtle award.

Karma chugging down the trail!

I've continued to do some other rides here and there; some endurance, some NATRC.  

Currently my AERC stats:
300 endurance miles / 550 limited distance miles

Strider's stats:
300 endurance miles / 340 limited distance miles

Karma's stats:
50 endurance miles / 125 limited distance miles

I cannot find my NATRC mileage stats, but Strider and I have done a handful of Open rides.

However, in March of 2020, after doing a NATRC ride, I had a moment of stupidity.

I thought it would be fun to get on Strider, bareback (no halter or leadrope) to just sit on him for a moment.

So I had him come over to the stairs on my porch, and went to slide my leg over, and something made him step sideways, and as I tried to get my leg back, he moved further, and I was pulled off the stairs.

Hit the ground on my left leg and felt something "snap".

The final call; tore my ACL.

Then in April of 2020, I was hobbling out to the trailer, and as I came back to the house, I saw Strider was badly hurt on his right rear.  Which made sense; a few days prior I had found the dog's tie out cable catapulted into a tree and Kaylee's swing set knocked over.  What I now believe happened is Strider got tangled in the tie out, got it wrapped around the swing set, and ultimately severed his tendon sheath.

And with COVID ramping up, my surgery was considered elective, so I wasn't able to have it fixed until the end of May in 2020.

My orthopedic surgeon told Joe as I was coming out of surgery, I couldn't ride for 18 months.

Joe told the doctor to tell me that or else I would kill him.

Doctor said "12 months."

Joe said "Yeah, that still seems long."

I am touched he was negotiating the time until I could ride again!

But, Strider and I spent months healing up together.  Joe had to help take care of Strider as he had to convalece in a stall with frequent bandage changes.

Suffice to say, at 6 months post-op, the doc said I could ride if I wished, but to be very careful as on the dismount I could ruin things by landing wrong and I should wear my brace.

I opted to wait.  At 9 months I had Joe help me get on Strider.  My PTSD was pretty bad.  I made him lead Strider and I around the round pen as I trembled and shook for a few minutes.  Finally I told Joe to unhook the lead rope; I needed to ride on my own. 

And we did for about 20 minutes.

Then the next challenge; getting off my horse.  Swinging off meant putting all my weight on my left (bad) leg and swinging over.  It was NOT easy.  Full disclosure, it's September of 2021 and it's STILL not easy and I look awful dismounting.

But I had goals and dreams, and in March of 2021, almost 1 year to the day, Strider and I returned to the last ride we had done together and we did the Competitive Pleasure division for NATRC (we weren't ready for Open).

After a P&R Stop, and feeling good!

From here, we've been going back to rides.

Earlier this month, we went to go defend our Distance Championship title.  I hauled 1,000 miles from Texas to Big South Fork, Tennessee to ride.

Sadly, we only got 17 miles in before we were pulled for a hind end tightness.  

But it meant I got to help crew for my friends D.C. and R.C. on their Paso Finos!

Ultimately R.C. finished on his amazing 19 year old Paso Fino, Tivio!  And with that completion they hit 2,000 miles!  It was WONDERFUL to cheer them in!

I share all of this because I am planning to make a separate post that is specific to the Paso Fino horse and the Paso Fino horse Executive Committee.

So...how have YOU been?  :)