There is so much to report, I'm overwhelmed. It's been happening so fast, it's hard to keep up myself! Let's see:
Vyv Wood-Gee (Lockerbie, Scotland--and who rode End to End in 2006) and I were exchanging page-long emails two and three times a day for a couple weeks. We had such fun! She is currently out-of-touch on the Hebrides, planning trails, and so I can get something else, like this blog, done! It turns out Vyv owns Marion's (the cat that owns me) twin brother Spider. She has a number of pups (like Minnie and Bo), a few horses and a fantastic farm called Shortrigg. I'll post a photo she sent as soon as I reconstruct my email folders (wiped out in a recent Microsoft meltdown--yes, it was Microsoft's fault). Vyv invited me to accompany her on a ten-day ride from Lockerbie across the Borders into England for a talk she is giving on trail riding on May 17. Soooo, that means I need to be at Vyv's in Lockerbie by May 10, which means that to try and find a horse I need to be in England by May 1. If I'm unsuccessful at first, I'll ride one of Vyv's wonderful Fell Ponies for our trip, then go back to horse hunting.
Hope do a couple rides around the Borders (like to Appleby Horse Fair and a Common Riding) in early June, and be at John O'Groats by mid-June to begin the End to End ride. I am so happy to be riding with Vyv for that ten days. It will be a great English shake-down cruise when I can absorb Vyv's great knowledge of riding and place.
WWW.Hackinghorses.com or www.safecobs.com. I'm also ecstatic to report that I have found a reputable dealer willing to take back my trusty steed at trip's end and sell him/her on to a good home. I have spent HOURS on the web NIGHTLY looking for good horses. I've also spent what seems like EONS trying to find a dealer not only interested in the trip, who understood what I'm trying to do, but who was also willing to work with me at trip's end to place the horse in a good home. I have written any number of emails only to be insulted and dissed by one seller (who I later discovered has been shut down three times), and politely refused by others, until I became gun-shy about revealing my intentions. I began saying I was "looking for a weight-carrying horse for distance riding," and leaving it at that. But then I found Lia at Hacking Horses (right near Gatwick) who is excited, positive and helpful! What a switch! She may or may not have the horse for me when I arrive in May, but we will stay in touch and keep our fingers crossed. This is just a HUGE relief. Visit her websites listed above.
Kathleen Birch, Rowdy's former owner and my good friend, is donating 5,000 miles I still need for a "free" ticket. Thank you Kathleen!!! Kathleen has been my best horsey friend for years now (along with Lisa), giving me my wonderful pony-boy Rowdy and my great pals Hannah and Madeline (her girls--Grey is great too--the third of the triplets, I just rarely see him!). This "free" ticket will end up costing $300 ($100 to "donate" the miles, $100 in taxes and fees, and $100 to change the return date if I need to--the airlines get you coming and going, it seems.)
Kathleen is making a FANTASTIC costume for Rowdy to wear in the St. Pat's Day Parade in Springdale. I'd tell you what it is, but it's a SURPRISE! You'll just have to be there (or watch this blogspot after March 21). Thank you, thank you Kathleen, for making this possible and for all the fun!
The Birches just lost their friendly, joyous yellow lab Kali, who I always called Mrs. Kallister or Kali Byrnison, and who looked just like Yorik Byrnison (the Armored Bear in Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials series). We are all grieving.
BARBY-DOLL!! One of my longest and dearest friends, Barby Graves, lately of Beulah, Michigan, has agreed to pet- and house-sit at the homestead whilst I'm on th
e ride!! This is such a gift to me I can't tell you. My heart's companion, Bo, is now almost 15 years old and pretty deaf, nearly blind, and awfully gimpy. I have, for the last 15 years, hated leaving her even for a for a weekend, and now there's Minnie, Marion, Baby and Rowdy! Our family keeps expanding. Needless to say, when I wanted the best person I could possibly get to live with the girls and boys, and I went to Barb. She readily accepted, for which I am eternally grateful. I know no matter what happens, Barb will have tried everything. I can rest assured.
AND Barb just got an interpretive job for the summer at Zion National Park!!! Barb is a hydrogeologist, artist, master gardener and extreme handy person. I hope my Utah friends will make her feel as at home here as they have me. She'll be here mid-March and work mid-April through mid-September. I know by then you'll join with me in trying to pursuade her to stay.
Vyv Wood-Gee (Lockerbie, Scotland--and who rode End to End in 2006) and I were exchanging page-long emails two and three times a day for a couple weeks. We had such fun! She is currently out-of-touch on the Hebrides, planning trails, and so I can get something else, like this blog, done! It turns out Vyv owns Marion's (the cat that owns me) twin brother Spider. She has a number of pups (like Minnie and Bo), a few horses and a fantastic farm called Shortrigg. I'll post a photo she sent as soon as I reconstruct my email folders (wiped out in a recent Microsoft meltdown--yes, it was Microsoft's fault). Vyv invited me to accompany her on a ten-day ride from Lockerbie across the Borders into England for a talk she is giving on trail riding on May 17. Soooo, that means I need to be at Vyv's in Lockerbie by May 10, which means that to try and find a horse I need to be in England by May 1. If I'm unsuccessful at first, I'll ride one of Vyv's wonderful Fell Ponies for our trip, then go back to horse hunting.
Hope do a couple rides around the Borders (like to Appleby Horse Fair and a Common Riding) in early June, and be at John O'Groats by mid-June to begin the End to End ride. I am so happy to be riding with Vyv for that ten days. It will be a great English shake-down cruise when I can absorb Vyv's great knowledge of riding and place.
WWW.Hackinghorses.com or www.safecobs.com. I'm also ecstatic to report that I have found a reputable dealer willing to take back my trusty steed at trip's end and sell him/her on to a good home. I have spent HOURS on the web NIGHTLY looking for good horses. I've also spent what seems like EONS trying to find a dealer not only interested in the trip, who understood what I'm trying to do, but who was also willing to work with me at trip's end to place the horse in a good home. I have written any number of emails only to be insulted and dissed by one seller (who I later discovered has been shut down three times), and politely refused by others, until I became gun-shy about revealing my intentions. I began saying I was "looking for a weight-carrying horse for distance riding," and leaving it at that. But then I found Lia at Hacking Horses (right near Gatwick) who is excited, positive and helpful! What a switch! She may or may not have the horse for me when I arrive in May, but we will stay in touch and keep our fingers crossed. This is just a HUGE relief. Visit her websites listed above.
Kathleen Birch, Rowdy's former owner and my good friend, is donating 5,000 miles I still need for a "free" ticket. Thank you Kathleen!!! Kathleen has been my best horsey friend for years now (along with Lisa), giving me my wonderful pony-boy Rowdy and my great pals Hannah and Madeline (her girls--Grey is great too--the third of the triplets, I just rarely see him!). This "free" ticket will end up costing $300 ($100 to "donate" the miles, $100 in taxes and fees, and $100 to change the return date if I need to--the airlines get you coming and going, it seems.)
Kathleen is making a FANTASTIC costume for Rowdy to wear in the St. Pat's Day Parade in Springdale. I'd tell you what it is, but it's a SURPRISE! You'll just have to be there (or watch this blogspot after March 21). Thank you, thank you Kathleen, for making this possible and for all the fun!
The Birches just lost their friendly, joyous yellow lab Kali, who I always called Mrs. Kallister or Kali Byrnison, and who looked just like Yorik Byrnison (the Armored Bear in Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials series). We are all grieving.
BARBY-DOLL!! One of my longest and dearest friends, Barby Graves, lately of Beulah, Michigan, has agreed to pet- and house-sit at the homestead whilst I'm on th
e ride!! This is such a gift to me I can't tell you. My heart's companion, Bo, is now almost 15 years old and pretty deaf, nearly blind, and awfully gimpy. I have, for the last 15 years, hated leaving her even for a for a weekend, and now there's Minnie, Marion, Baby and Rowdy! Our family keeps expanding. Needless to say, when I wanted the best person I could possibly get to live with the girls and boys, and I went to Barb. She readily accepted, for which I am eternally grateful. I know no matter what happens, Barb will have tried everything. I can rest assured. AND Barb just got an interpretive job for the summer at Zion National Park!!! Barb is a hydrogeologist, artist, master gardener and extreme handy person. I hope my Utah friends will make her feel as at home here as they have me. She'll be here mid-March and work mid-April through mid-September. I know by then you'll join with me in trying to pursuade her to stay.
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1 comment:
wow and good luck on the end to end, would you be intrested in some company on your journey, i'd love to tag a long for a day, i'm in Cumbria and have become a follower of the epic journeys people are doing on horseback. When i find the link i will send it through of a reputble dealer we have in Cumbria. Also not so long since a local rode their clysedales down from the isle of sky into Cumbria to re establish themselves here if you like google cumbria heavy horses. the owner will be well worth talking to.
I'am looking forward to following you progress and good luck
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