The first picture is one of the first colts born on the farm this year. He is a colt out of Once a Hobo by SC Code of Honor. He is displaying the natural curiosity of a young colt checking out the big bale of hay that is in the barn to feed the horses that we keep inside. Second picture is a herd mate out of a mare VBF Rocky Top Rebel by SC Code of Honor. He too is displaying a natural curiosity. Momma is outside waiting for him to come out of the trailer but he is checking it out. The third picture is a filly out of VBF Blue Ridge Mt Girl and also by SC Code of Honor. She is just hours old in this picture so she is curious but staying very close to momma.
Ever since I bought my first horse from Van Bert Farms I have wanted to go on a trail ride with H T and Wilda. They bring back some of the most amazing pictures and stories of their trail rides. Bob went with them last year after their Memorial Day ACTHA ride and talked on and on about the beauty of the mountain and the babbling brooks that hurry down the mountains on the way to the Red River.
I was at the time in the cottage popping pain pills and nursing my broken arm. Don't pity me. If there was any place to be with a broken arm the Van Bert Cottage is the best. I had friends stopping by having coffee with me and Connor and Larry stopped by with flowers. Everyone was so nice and I hated to leave the cottage on Monday to go back home with what I knew would be facing me. Somehow at the cottage it didn't seem like the break was so bad but once I got home, I almost knew that I would be facing surgery although I hoped and prayed that it would just heal.
This year I once again did not ride in the Ride for the Cure that Van Berts sponsored. I helped out the best I could with the ride. I really didn't have a horse to ride. We took VBF Venture's Golden Satin for Bob to ride. We took Chocolate Amigo for Vickie to ride and we took Hoosier for Leigh and that was it for my three horse trailer.
Bob came in second on the ride. Vickie did really well for her first ride. I am not taking anything away from Vickie but Amigo is so trail savvy that he can almost do the obstacle without much guidance. Leigh was racking up some good scores on the obstacles but Hoosier started having some problems so she took her back to the barn. So really Whispering Oaks Farm turned in a good ride even if we didn't take but one ribbon home.
On Saturday night we went to Cathy's for some of her wonderful food including fried green tomatoes. If you have ever been to Cathy's you will know what I am talking about. We were in a group of about 15 people and having a wonderful time when the subject of a trail ride in Wolf County came up. The group was all in favor of going to the mountains for a ride the next day. Jamie ask me if I would go too. I didn't have a horse I wanted to ride in the mountains so he offered Blue Jean. Blue Jean is/was Conner's horse. I was assured she was sweet, would take care of me and was sure footed.
I should have known better. May has not been a good month for me in recent years. Bill died in May, I had pneumonia in May and broke my arm last May. But I am not superstitious so I said OK.
The next day we awoke to a bright sun beaming down on us. The temperatures were to be 90 or above but heck we were going to be in the mountains with plenty of shade and babbling brooks. We got over to the barn with the two horses we were taking and found that my little mare Blue Jean was all saddled and ready to go.
We headed up to the mountains. We were on the Mt Parkway climbing the hills when we heard a really loud pop like a rock had been thrown down on the windshield or had hit the back glass. But we couldn't see anything so we thought we had blown a tire. We had to keep going. We were climbing the mountains and had no signal on our phones. We really thought it was a trailer tire but we couldn't tell.
We finally got a signal and let the others know we were getting off on Exit 40 to check it out. When we got out of the truck, there was no flat tire and it took a minute to discover what had actually happened. I carry tie downs in the back of my truck to use when necessary and one of the had somehow gotten wind born and hit the back glass by my ear. It was a wonder that it didn't break the glass. It was still lodged between the front of the truck bed and the back of the cab.
We continued our journey on to Wolf County and was looking forward to a day of riding. We all unloaded horses and those who needed to do so saddled up. There was by now 18 of us in the group. It was a fun group of people to be with. Carol and Phyllis were along and they are always a lot of fun. Of course, H T, Wilda and Jamie and Bob and Vickie. We were all looking forward to a wonderful ride and it was wonderful.
The trails were more than I had ever ridden but Blue Jean was really taking good care of me. She is sure footed and ever so careful about how she goes up and down hills. I feel in love with that mare within minutes of getting on her back. She does not do anything stupid at all.
Lunch was wonderful. We had stopped for drinks and sandwiches. We dismounted which worried me. I looked around and could not see a dead fall or a stump to help me remount but Jamie assured me I would get back on and he kept his word.
After lunch we continued down the trail with Blue Jean taking extra good care of me. There were steep hills to go down and a variety of switch backs to negotiate. And it was all going really well. We did come to one switchback that Vickie and I didn't feel comfortable with so we dismounted and Kaylee Tipton rode Blue Jean down. Bob ponied Amigo and we remounted and rode on. There were lots of places that when we looked to the left or right, it looked straight down. The scenery was stunning.
We crossed streams that were dancing their way down the mountain. The birds were singing their springtime songs and the trees were decked out in their best spring time finery. It was a beautiful ride. It was a beautiful day. I loved the ride and I think I will ride it again for sure. But only if I can ride it on Blue Jean.
Many of the horses had not been out on a long ride this year and all of them were getting tired. Blue Jean had a shoe that came loose and Jamie took it off. The next hill we rode up I could see Blue Jean was really tired. But we were now close to getting back to the trucks. We rode some more narrow trails and switch backs. We were close to our destination.
All of the sudden I hit the ground. I didn't feel her stumble, I didn't feel her going down. All I felt was me hitting the ground. Vickie was off of Amigo before I was hardly aware I was on the ground. She was telling me to not get up. I wasn't about to get up. I laid there while Vickie, a former EMT, checked me out. By now Blue Jean was up and standing there waiting for me to get back on. I love that mare. Bob was standing there holding the horse and looking like he was devastated. Vickie didn't find anything that felt broken and Bob helped me get up off of the ground.
I was perfectly fine to walk but I was not getting back on poor little Blue Jean. She had had all she could take for the day. H T and Jamie brought a truck up to where we were and rode me back to the camp. I would have been fine walking. But they wouldn't hear of it.
Monday I had xrays made and my collar bone is broken. It is a clean break and in alignment so surgery will not be necessary. I am tired and don't feel like doing a lot but I will heal quickly. Judy Brummer told me to drink plenty of milk and I do that.
So that is my mountain trail riding experience. Will I ride again? Of course. Will I ride that mountain trail again. I have no doubt. I will be riding my new horse, Blue Jean. Did I mention that I love that mare? We bonded right off. Connor is ready to move on to something else so as luck would have it, I was able to purchase Blue Jean. You may be seeing the two of us riding the rails this year.
God does work in mysterious ways, his wonders to behold. Does God have to prove that to us over and over? I have struggled with fears of riding. A friend of mine says I make the same mistake over and over but God has provided a horse for me that I can trust completely. I will bring Blue Jean home with me. I can't wait to get back on her. When I am able to ride again we will ride my trails here. We will go up hills and down hills and she will develop the strength and stamina that she needs to tackle the rails and the big trails. God has answered my prayers in the form of a little mare called Blue Jean.
What is it you desire or need? Go to the one who owns those mountains we were riding in. Go to the one who owns those wonderful animals--the horses. Go to the one who created all of it. It is all his and by his love and grace he has provided it for our use and to care for. Most of all he has through the sacrifice of his only begotten son given us the grace and forgiveness that is necessary to gain entrance into heaven. Not through our works or efforts but through Jesus and Jesus alone.
I will see you at the State Show. The Prestonburg show is out again this year because of another broken bone. But some of my horses will be there. So watch for SC Code of Honor, Flair for Fury, Rockin Andi, Ann's Mt Treasure and Lady Ace. They will be there giving the competition some anxious moments. (I hope)
May God bless and keep you in his loving care.
Regards
Mary
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