Next weekend is our first attempt at a Junior Clinic….and it appears we have found a new obstacle! Kid team sports! Not sure how to get around the fact that many youth are involved in their local area sports teams, but if a handful of juniors show up to do the clinic, it certainly will have been worth the time and effort of leadership and volunteers. Saturday’s clinic is followed by an Adult clinic on Sunday. It appears some of the youth are riding Sunday clinic as well. What a wonderful way to maximize their time with their ponies, while building on their trail and obstacle skills.
SPRING RIDE UPDATES
*Smiley Ride is the first ride of April, so expect to have a TTCC raffle there!
*Cat Spring Fling …. from Nancy Fenimore…Please post your ride fee prior to 3/29/23. The ride is full and the waitlist is long. If your payment is not received by 3/29, the 30-day rule will be enforced and your name will be moved to the waitlist. Also, if you have to cancel and have reserved an RV spot, please call Nancy, 979-338-0133, as there is a long waitlist for hookups as well. The BBQ meal is brisket and chicken, 2 sides, tea & dessert, $20.00, payable to Karen Boone, see paypal below.
We are taking orders for this cool red cap, also $20 payable to [email protected]. Remember to use friends and family.
*Wild West Wrangle…from Kelly Beard…The WWW gals are putting together a fun trail, new and fun obstacles (along with a few challenging ones!), and great prizes! Jean and Gary Prescott will entertain and the Albany Icehouse will once again cater. Praying for great weather…no hail…and for a fun ride with the Tombstone characters! Remember to send Ginny Mayfield a copy of your coggins at [email protected] . See you all at Fort Griffin in May!
Happy trails to you all! Gayna (Please enjoy the following bi monthly feature by Kim Gehring)
CAMP LIFE. PREPARING FOR A RIDE WEEKEND
1 Clean and Prep Trailer…Oh Boy, there is a lot that is involved in getting ready to head out for a ride! So much so that I am breaking it into multiple parts. (trailer ready, pack for human, pack for horse(s), load and go) As you all know, Jim is very particular about the generators! Ours are run a week or so before the ride, to ensure all was good to go. REMEMBER, always use premium gas in your generators, Jim says some of the additives help keep them running better for longer. I like to start on the outside of the trailer, so I check tire pressure and air up any low tires with a small battery operated DeWalt air compressor. I hate looking for the correct psi on the tire, so I write it inside one of the side storage compartment doors in permanent marker. If there is a Blocker Tie or any ropes hung on trailer I remove them. I check the inside of the horse area to make sure old poop has been scooped and the area has shavings evenly distributed. I know some folks don’t use shavings, it is a personal preference, as I think it helps with road heat in summer and if a horse wants to pee it cuts down on them splashing. I put in hay for the ride and check that the water tanks are also full. We have a 50 gallon tank mounted in the hay pod, another 25 gallons in the tack area, and one that fits in the truck bed. I also top off the water tank in LQ. I believe horses drink better if they have water from home. Sometimes we take three horses, so we use a lot of water.
Once inside LQ I like to spray and wipe down: shower, counter, sinks and commode. I also check that I have a few extra garbage bags, rags and that there is plenty of drinking water in the fridge. I always check the microwave, because sometimes we store a few things in there for travel and I have discovered a “SCIENCE EXPERIMENT”. Yuck! I check our closet to make sure we have emptied our cubbies and have room to bring out our clothes, and that Jim has enough beer for the weekend. Our tiny living room also gets straightened up, as does the bed. I finish by vacuuming the floor. We put down a carpet remnant and have welcome mats outside and just inside the door. It helps cut down the grit on the floor.
Next, I pack for humans. I lay out everything I want to bring for the weekend on the bed. I have small piles of riding clothes for each day, one more change of clothes and then pjs. I also have a small gathering of essential non-clothing and comfort items like my medicine pill box, massage pounder, red light, sunscreen, lip balm, toothbrush, etc., plus a phone charger. About a week before a ride I start monitoring the weather for the ride location so I can bring appropriate clothes. I rode Equi-Frost 2022 and did not have enough socks to keep my feet warm and dry! I roll each day’s clothes to carry out to the trailer. Our storage is limited so I want things to be easy to pack and get in and out of my cubby. I also pack a jacket/vest, gloves, hat and even a scarf if the weather is cold. Now, try getting Jim to pack like this -HAHAHA. Oh no, he is always bringing way more than he needs, yet wears the same jeans 2 days in a row. He says because he puts on a clean shirt each day, no one will notice! Has anyone ever seen Jim in a clean shirt?? So, at the end of the weekend, we haul all of Jim’s clean clothes back into the house with the dirty clothes! Other items useful for cold weather weekends are hand/foot warmers, earmuffs (would really have loved those for Equi-frost), extra set of dry boots and gloves, etc. Living in Texas for 30 years has dulled my cold-weather comfort knowledge.
Meal planning…We frequently go one or two days early, so meals are planned to cover all days. We always buy the catered meal if offered; one less meal to plan. During the week I try to prepare a larger meal to package into portions and freeze. Jim likes a quick easy breakfast of oatmeal, and I can do it with a granola bar. I usually bring a bag of salad and some fresh fruit. Occasionally, I bring something that needs more than a microwave, so I have a neat little electric griddle that is also a panini press. I just must try to remember not to run it while the micro or coffee pot is on or risk blowing a fuse! We use real cups and silverware, and paper plates and bowls. I keep a small dishpan under the sink to run things into the house and put in the dishwasher upon return home. Rides are for fun, not for washing dishes! Other food items include yogurt, pickles, chips or pretzels, and a bag of ice for the freezer. We bring several small folding chairs and a folding table. I also have a battery powered stick vacuum and a small fan. It can be freezing on the floor and roasting up in the bed area, so a fan helps to move the air as long as temps outside are not extreme. NEXT TIME …PACKING FOR HORSES, SEE U ON THE TRAIL! K & JOSIE
I always enjoy reading about TTCC Thank you Gayna