"Virtual Endurance Riding" - the VV March Madness virtual ride - Trail Riding... or Trail Clearing?
March 6, 2008
Endurance Net -- a forum for endurance riders -- has hit on a great idea for all us winter-weary riders. In January they designed a "one day virtual endurance ride" and invited their readership to take part in it. Only requirements were to ride -- anywhere, anytime -- and log your GPS miles. February started up the 2nd virtual ride with a two day window, and this month Endurance Net is hosting the VV March Madness -- a virtual ride for the entire month.
What a great way to chase away the cabin fever... and charge everyone up for the upcoming endurance ride season.
Well today was a delight -- sunny bright clear 60 degrees. Wow! There was no way I was going to waste this beautiful day by doing such mundane stuff as... oh... cleaning stalls, cleaning the barn, cleaning the house. No, sirree! The VV March Madness was waiting for me to log in some miles.
So the first ride of the day went to my youngest Welsh pony, Drummer, who hasn't been out since last fall. He's such a darling, so calm and quiet -- just marched out onto our lovely gravel roads like he'd been doing...
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Posted at: 08:01 PM | Permalink
The same old runaround...but with mud this time!
February 15, 2008
While the rest of the northeast (and Midwest) is still locked in the deep freeze, gotta say we lucked out today with a glorious 54 degrees. Perfect day to hunt. However ...hunting was to be tempered with ground that had been converted to mud, mud, and even more mud.
Our huntsman decided today would be a good day to bring out a bevy of young entry, so we had 5 puppies in the pack today, surrounded by 4 whips. The whips almost outnumbered the field -- as there were only 5 of us out, and one member (who was soooo sick but wanted soooo much to hunt!) only lasted for a 1/2 hour then retired to go in. Since our regular field master was away.... I got to be "Field Master for the Day."
Good thing we started off slowly -- it allowed me to get used to leading, and studying the huntsman's direction so that I didn't accidently get too close or in his way. For the first 1/2 hour the hounds were fairly quiet -- we got some good runs in, but nothing sustained. We stayed within view of our huntsman and I tried to keep at a...
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Posted at: 10:33 PM | Permalink
70 degrees in February! Where did the winter go?
February 6, 2008
Another great day today! I am SO glad I got too lazy yesterday to change over Andy's back shoes to new ones with studs that were NOT going to unscrew their way out this time. Since I didn't trust the muddy, mucky ground, and with the temperatures slated for a record breaking 70+ degrees --which would be tough on Andy who needed a re-clip -- I took Itchy instead. Shod for the job, and with a super-short 4x clipped coat, he was ready for several hours of galloping around the countryside.
The temps were already in the high 60's by the time all had arrived, and the air was so heavy with moisture that my gloves were damp and sticky even before I put them on. The field was small but cozy - 4 of us and our Field Master, and two whips for our huntsman. Half of us discarded our wool waistcoats and had on our lightweight jackets, the other half opting to wear rain coats in deference to the forecast which was calling for afternoon thunderstorms and high winds. Our huntsman announced we'd only do about an hour of hunting, and since none of us wanted to be...
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Posted at: 10:44 PM | Permalink
A double Tally-Ho!!
February 3, 2008
Well, Ma Nature certainly smiled on us today with incredibly mild weather -- almost summer-like -- blue skies, and lots and lots of foxes who were in the playing mood. I hope that the other hunts out had even a fraction of the fun we had today! It was FABULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I met my foxhunting buddy, Jamie, at the meet -- she'd come as my guest and had gotten there about 10 minutes before me. About 6-7 people where already there. Our hunt had invited Doc Addis's Hounds (from Chester County, PA) down for a day of hunting. Our hunt had started with PMD hounds from Doc Addis, so the two packs were perfectly matched in size and voice. I got to meet several of that hunt's members -- absolutely wonderful people, so friendly and ready to enjoy some great hunting.
And we certainly didn't disappoint!!!
By the time all the trailers had arrived, the temps were already up to 52 degrees!!! I had two thermometers in my trailer and both read the same reading - so I am not kidden when I said it was almost hot! Incredible for February!! There were about 40-45 riders in attendance, many of which had decided to...
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Posted at: 07:50 PM | Permalink
Tally Ho!
February 1, 2008
Yesterday we closed out the month with a really rip-roaring hunt, after waiting out the cold since the second week of January -- a cold that brought with it ice and snow and nasty ground. Hunting came to an abrupt halt about then, all of us waiting until the snow melted and the ground became a bit less treacherous.
The hunt had moved the meet from the day before (Wednesday) to (Thursday) in hopes of better weather, but... I had pretty much decided to stay home because the ground was still really bad, and it was still really cold below freezing... and I was already starting to focus on endurance riding with Itchy. I had already sent in my entry for our first ride on April 12th and could not risk him getting hurt in the hunt field.
So, as I was just getting ready to to out and clean five disgusting stalls, I got a call from my neighbor (this being 8AM) to tell me I had a "sick sheep" in my back field. I went out to find one of my elder ewes on her back, unable to right herself. Poor thing -- she's in her 20's. Quite...
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Posted at: 11:18 AM | Permalink
