Three Weeks and Counting...
Well, here we go … 3 weeks and counting. On May 31, we will depart from Longmont, Colorado trailering our horses and gear to Livermore, Colorado where we will spend the night with our good friends Dick and Joyce. On the morning of June 1, we will depart on horseback from their property near Cherokee Park. This will be the beginning of our 110-day, 1100-mile ride to the border of Canada, on the West side of Glacier National Park.
Approximately 1 year ago, George and I begin laying out the plan for our amazing journey. We feel as though we bought a 2000 piece, abstract art jigsaw puzzle. We were filled with thrill and excitement at the thought of completing this beautiful piece of art. Starting with the most obvious corner and boundary pieces, we built the initial framework. Then, night-by-night and day-by-day, we worked tediously to fit the not so obvious pieces together. Sometimes we would pick up just the right piece, sliding it effortlessly into the grooves of its mate piece. In unison, we would breath a deep sigh of relief. Other times, we would pick up a piece that seemed so clearly a fit, only to find that it was slightly off in shape, size or color. Dejectedly, we would return it to the mass of other misfit pieces, and try again. Now, here we are with just a handful of pieces left, and the completion of our masterpiece appears clear.
Every day is filled with finalizing touches intertwined with the daily goings-on of running a barn. Up at the crack of dawn George heads out for the days first training sessions with Balthazar and I prep the first cup of coffee. Feeding and turn-outs are next, followed by a second cup of coffee and a rundown of the day’s tasks ahead of us. After mucking stalls and runs, we head off to complete the errands which include a myriad of necessary things, depending on the day. Our trips away from the barn become shorter and shorter as we step up the trainings on the two Mustangs.
This week has been big, with both of the Mustangs accepting the saddle and cinch, another bareback ride on Mustang Sally, ponying Sally behind her big brother Kip (he is such an awesome big brother … I am so proud of him), picking up all four of Balthazar’s feet, and desensitizing for the pack saddle breaching. Our herd is particularly calm this week … we believe they sense the changes coming over the horizon. We believe they sense our excitement and anticipating, and we believe they are silently saying to us: “Let’s get this show on the road … we’ve got your backs.”
There are a few puzzle pieces that we know the placement for but have yet to place them. These pieces will be placed with gut-wrenching sadness. Sweet Blizzard will be transported to her new “forever” home this coming week. She will be among friends, where she will enjoy days in a sprawling lush pasture and will enjoy trail rides with her new forever mom. Isaac, our cute pocket pony, will be transported to his new home at Happiness Through Horses where he will be doted on by loads of young children, forever. And, on May 20th, George will load his beloved Chloe and her best friend Jewell and he will transport this precious cargo to North Carolina. It was a tough, although necessary decision for me to stay behind with the remaining herd as we draw closer to the trip. With a heavy heart, I will continue on with training and daily chores, knowing that two will not return.
Along with our great journey comes a lot of sacrifice, but also a lot of growth, not just for us, but for those who are part of our lives. We venture with the goal to be an inspiration to others. In the hopes that people realize that it is never too late to shoot for dreams and aspirations … we hope we have accomplished that goal!