Riding the Spotties

Fall 7 times.

Stand up 8.

 ~ Japanese Proverb

Have been sleeping like a dead person since returning from my Oh So Fun Bucket List Cowgirl Vacation.

The horses had as much fun as the humans.

Borrowed a beautiful black and white spotted Appaloosa to ride through Idaho and Montana, along the historic Nez Perce trail.

It may appear we're on our lonesome, here, but there were 190 riders on this adventure.

Trotted into West Yellowstone 100 miles later. Exhausted. Sore. Bumped and bruised. Feeling old as those proverbial hills yet 20 years younger than I felt just 5 days before.

Happy as all get out.

Closest thing we got to a 'shower.'

Because I did it! I survived!

Kurt, the farrier. (Horse shoe dude.)

Having been bucked off a horse earlier this summer, and fracturing ribs in the process, I was shaking like a leaf as I saddled up.

Cotton - you don't find Texas gentlemen like this very often.

I was so fearful of another accident. Crossing fingers and toes that nothing would go wrong.

So, of course, everything did. It rained buckets. Then it hailed. Thunder. Lightening. Freezing nights.

Indian Paintbrush on a foggy morning.

 My little horse was a trooper and so was I. Overcoming my fear. Realizing that marching bravely out of my comfort zone was precisely what this cowgirl needed.

This is Doc, our trail physician. We should all aspire to be this fit when we're 85.

Age, I am learning... it's a box people put you in.

When you're looking down the barrel of the big 5-0, growing old is all friends can talk about.

But, when I'm on these rides, I never hear such nonsense. Out there, age is irrelevant. Probably because we've stumbled upon the fountain of youth.

I loved these people. They were warm and wonderful, traveling from as far away as Norway and England to ride the spotted horses along this magnificent trail.

And, now that I've overcome my latest bout of cowardice, I'm signing up for another ride. Just as soon as the budget allows....