P O N Y
T A L E S
Pony Tales THE GRANDAUGHTER CHRONICLES: PART XVIII
Off Into the Sunset
literally taken for a ride and I don't believe I shall ever be the same. Flipping through Riding Magazine my granddaughter
S o this grandmother got taken for a ride this spring...
ran across an article and an ad for trails rides, and she became inspired by the idea of us having a family day and riding off into the sunset together. "Side by side," is the way she so cheerfully explained it to me. Never having the self discipline to say NO to her when she comes up with some air brained idea, I cautiously agreed. Maybe I should have thought more about it! The day dawned a bit grey and cloudy but off we
went any way into the hills of Julian, above San Diego in Southern California. The drive was into beautiful foothills, almost mountains, with trees and landscape she had never seen before. We stopped at an overlook above a wide open valley and just stood there watching the birds soar over the land. "Is this where God goes on His day off?" she asked with her little hand in mine.
is it," was all I could say. When we arrived at Trail ride central they were waiting
"I think this
for us, I am not sure they were "ready" for us but none the less there stood 2 horses appropriately dressed in big
western saddles with bright red and yellow saddle pads. She immediately climbed her way into the saddle while I patiently waited for my steed to be lead to a big square block where they helped me get
on.....and off we went respectfully following Rex our trail guide. As we rode away from the stables, the scenery and the
wild birds, bugs and critters took on a life of their own. Seemed that all of mankind and the stresses of our lives stayed in that camp while we took a stroll into a land where we were free of all bounds. Up hills, down hills, across streams, stopping for shade to rest, sitting very still while a little deer and its mother scampered across our path for us to watch, enjoying every minute of our new found freedom. For those few hours it seemed there was no one in
the world but the three of us as we enjoyed our equine friends. I had ridden a bit as a child so I was not too afraid when she talked the guide into a gallop across a field. I will say I certainly felt a time or two that the ground and I were about to become one.....but alas I stayed aboard the critter, although I was ecstatic when we finally got to the other side and came to a stop. Back at the ranch she leapt off her horse and headed off
into the corrals with a young girl who worked there. I, by contrast, just sat there on that horse trying to figure out how to get off. When the guys came to help, and I finally dismounted, I think I realized my legs had forgotten how to hold me up. Hobbling to the old western rocking chair on the step, I sat down and took a deep breath as I watched her and her new found friend climbing in and out of horse pens. The motion of a rocking chair, coupled with the gentle momentum of riding a horse for the day, sort of sets the world at peace for a bit. I enjoyed the next hour just soaking up the air and the atmosphere of that place before I whisked her off and headed home. She went to sleep that night dreaming of horses and
cowboys and Indians.....I went to bed after an hour in a hot Epsom salt bath hoping to ease the stiff, sore muscles of the day. But in the end, I too drifted off to the sounds of Roy Rogers and Dale Evens singing Happy Trails to You and galloping in a dust cloud off into the sunset. I think I saw my granddaughter right there with them at an all out gallop, and I'm sure I heard her giggling voice say "My Grandmom let me learn how to do this, she's the best!". Able to walk or not for several days, it was all worth it!
14
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84