Mud Run- IDR Shelley's Story-the whole thing! :)

Well the day had finally arrived, and I was excited but a bit nervous too. Kathleen was up and ready before I was, which NEVER happens. We were rolling out our driveway by 6:00am, and headed to the barn to meet up with everyone and to get this day started!

 Pam helped me with getting Summer in the trailer as I have never done this before, so it is one more of the many things I still need to learn.

Pam has been so wonderful to me. She has shared her knowledge with me, shared her horse, Summer, and even her gear so that I could have this opportunity to ride. It amazes me that she trusts me with her horse having known me for such little time, and knowing that I have only a few months of experience and learning under my belt at this point, but that is just one of the magical things that happens at Tidal Treasures. All of the people there care and look out for each other, it feels like I've known them for much longer than it really has been.  I am very grateful to Pam for all her help and guidance, and her part in allowing me to have this experience.-Thank you Pam!

Gary is someone I always look forward to seeing when I visit the barn. He has a very quiet and kind way and I very much appreciate and enjoy his sense of humor. It is our little chats and laughs that lighten my load, and make me smile after sometimes long and stressful days. Gary always makes you feel welcome and at home, and it is because of that, that I felt comfortable and relaxed enough to get on those horses and try!Gary and his behind the scenes efforts, that often go unnoticed,( or so he may think),  have also allowed me to grow and learn and get to the point where I was able to pull out of that driveway, on my way to my first ride, and there he was with that smile that warms your heart, waving us off. -Thank-you Gary!

We arrived in Stanley, to a parking lot full of lots of riders and their horses, and my nerves started to kick in. How did I get here with all these people who know and have a lot more experience than I do???  What had I gotten myself into??? The trot out was one thing that I had been worrying about, but when the time came, Tammy quietly came up behind me and told me I would do fine, and I smiled and took a deep breath, and off I went. Thankfully Summer has done this before, and that made my job much easier-and it really was nothing to worry about after all!

After the trot out it was back to get tacked up. I still look at the bit and everything and get a little confused sometimes. I have to take an extra minute to look at and figure out the way it all goes, but I am doing it!

Troy rode with Kathleen, Marie and I. Lynn was also planning to be there with us 3 newbies and help deal with any problems that may arise, but there was a change in plans last minute, and it ended up that Troy would be the only experienced adult with us. I was worried that if things didn't go as planned out on the trail that he would have his hands full, but Tammy said he is the best multi-tasker she knows, and that it would all be fine, and it was. Troy has also been a huge part in seeing that not only myself, but also that Kathleen and Caddy would be ready for this ride. He put in lots of time and laps with Caddy getting her into shape. He also gave me opportunities to ride Wind, and Aziim, and has answered many questions, done lots of planning, and done most of it with little sleep and lots of coffee. He has never made me feel that any question I may have had was a silly one, and took time to show me how to get the bit into the horses mouth-lots of little lessons and opportunities that got me to this day. We rode at a slower pace than Troy enjoys, but he made the day comfortable and enjoyable for the girls and I, and assured us that he was having as much fun as we were, and you know what- I believe him! -Thank-you Troy!

Finally the training, planning, trot-out and tacking up was all behind me-I was in the saddle, which is where I feel the best, and I was ready to go! The nerves were wearing off, and I was excited to start this ride!

We are off to start our 14 mile ride.

It was very hot and dusty, not a lot of mud to be found on the mud run! My favorite part of the ride was going through Phinny ( I am sure that is not spelled right), the trail gets narrow and the trees are close. It is beautiful there. Troy paced our ride and made sure we were able to trot through that spot, and I loved it!

After a great start to our ride, despite the heat and occasional moose flies, we arrived at the half-way point where just the day before we worked as pit crew, making sure water and food were ready for both the humans and the horses-today we were on the other side of things.

At the half-way point, we had 20 minutes to sponge down the horses, offer them water and food, and then get a drink and quick bite ourselves. For this ride, as the riders we had to do everything ourselves. The day before we were able to cool down and hold the horses for the riders to offer them a break-the only break we had was to run into the woods and water a bush if need be! :)

I had really enjoyed the first half of our ride, seeing others along the trail, seeing glimpses of Lynn and Carrilee at different spots trying to capture bits of our day for us to look back on, and I was really feeling good at that point, and very much looking forward to getting back in the saddle and heading out to finish the ride.

Before we could head out, the horses had to have their pulses checked and recorded. Once that was done, we were given the OK to head back out.

The second half of the ride was just as enjoyable for me as the first was. At the marker that said "5 miles to go, Troy said for the girls to give him a woo hoo!" I teased them that their woo hoo was kind of pathetic, and so we challenged them at every mile marker after that. But as each of their "woo hoos" got better, I realized with mixed emotions that it meant we were nearly done.  I hated to see it come to an end, but before I knew it, there we were trotting towards the little one lane bridge that meant we were indeed nearly done our first distance ride, an IDR of 14 miles.

Once we had crossed the finish line, and had a little celebration of "woo hoos", we still were not done, we had to sponge down the horses and have their pulses checked again. Summer made me laugh, she did not drink from the water bucket on the trailer that she could easily reach, instead, she stretched for the cooler water in the buckets on the ground that were there to cool her down.

We had to do one last trot out. This was to compare the condition Summer was in now that the ride was over, to how she was at the beginning of the day, before her 14 mile ride, and then we were officially done! 

The riders- Troy, Kathleen, myself and Marie.

Marie has been a joy to watch through this whole process.  She has risen to many challenges, and done so with a smile. Her determination has driven me to be determined also. Thank you Marie for your part in helping me get to this day!

And look at this pit crew! Carrilee has been there every step of the way. She always tells me what I'm doing well, and gives me advice on things to try and think about. She will be out there riding the trails with us very soon! Thank you Carrilee.

Tammy has proven that hard work and determination can be the wind beneath your feet that will guide your path to success. She reached a goal the day before, finishing her 30 mile ride, on a horse that she proudly owns. I have learned so much watching her journey. Thank you Tammy for your kind words of encouragement, and for guiding me to this day!

And Lynn, well words can never express my thanks to her for all she has done. We spent many hours in the barn over the winter, and she patiently taught and had faith in me, and that helped me to have faith in myself. We have come a long way from that cold winter evening when she gave me a try on Spirit, asking me for a little trot, while she ran beside us to make sure I didn't hurt myself! I laugh now thinking of her running beside me asking if I was ever coming down, and then when I did said OK maybe her heart would start beating again. Lynn planned rides that I could take part in, and has given me every opportunity to ride and learn that she possibly could, and she did it because she wanted to. Lynn is a great inspiration to me. Thank you Lynn!

And Todd, well he believed in me before I believed in myself. He said to me a few months back, that if I didn't start riding some, I would be left behind. That did it for me, because I wanted to ride, but was shy and a bit reluctant to put myself out there and try. He ran around getting things ready for Kathleen and I, and worked so hard being pit crew on both days, and never once did he complain or wish he was riding, He was happy to see Kathleen and I do this, and he was right where he wanted to be. I know he too will be riding these trails soon! Thank you Todd for always believing in me, and encouraging me and giving me the push I often need.

And how could I not acknowledge Summer, she had taken me many miles on the trails, let me experience my first canter, and guided me along this ride, also a first. She has taught me a lot.

My final thanks goes to my daughter, Kathleen. It was her love for horses, that led me to realize my love for horses. I feel so blessed to have shared this experience with her, and was so proud of her and Caddy on their ride. She has worked hard, and was determined to be ready for this mud run and to have Caddy ready also. I can't wait to see what she and Caddy will do in the rides to come, and will continue to be her biggest fan. I love you! Thank you for opening my eyes to something new, and helping me along the way.

Well there, that is my story. A wonderful weekend of meeting new people and experienceing new things. I'm not sure what the future holds, but I have a feeling that the best is yet to come!