Trails End


This Trails End that I penned 20 years ago holds some of my favorite memories, and I wanted to share them with you again…


As the fi nal pages were completed on the magazine, I


hobbled out to the truck to rush it to Federal Express who would rush it to the printer in Chicago who would rush it to you. My back was in a painful spasm, but I didn’t have time to give it a rest, for there was a deadline and I was late. As I handed the issue to the FedEx agent, I gave an audible exhale of tension…ahhh. When I reached home and headed up the stairs to my


offi ce, I noticed that my back was let ing go and the pain was subsiding. I smiled because I was being reminded of what I already knew—the discomfort in my body was a direct result of the grueling pace I put it through at this time called deadline where “all-nighters” were part of the ritual. T e next morning I was anxious to get on with the next project, but when


Be still and know that I am God. Psalms 46:10


As the chat er of three fl ocks of Canada geese pierced the pristine silence,


I stepped outside to feed the horses, the dogs at acked me with a barking frenzy to go for a hike. How could I turn down those precious lit le faces? I couldn’t use “sorry, deadline” as an excuse today, so I grabbed my jacket, hat and gloves and headed out on the trail with the dogs in full “run for joy” mode. Within fi ve minutes we were in a winter wonderland. T e lake near my house was surrounded by a sentry of evergreens, and my eyes liſt ed to see the majesty of the snow-capped mountains strike a pose against the brilliant blue sky. T e shallow lake was frozen solid, and the dogs ran and played on the ice as I laughed out loud at their antics.


I walked out onto the lake myself, and I started skating, lit le steps at fi rst, then bigger, then twirls and swirls. For a moment suspended in time, I was Dorothy Hamill (in spirit if not in form) skating on a life-sized rink with my dogs and the mountains as my audience. Funny, my back didn’t hurt that day. In fact, I can’t remember ever feeling so good. We have work to do, but even God saw the value of set ing aside time to


rest and enjoy his creation. Trail riding is one of the best “rests” you can enjoy, so I hope you have many beautiful miles on the trails in November.


Susana Gibson | founder and publisher A DV ERT I S ER S ’ D IR E C TO RY


Air Safe Hitch ................................................................. 57 Ansur Saddlery Northwest LLC ............................... 29 Ariat International ........................................................ 13 Best of America by Horseback ................................. 91 Bimeda, Inc ..................................................................... 25 Brays Island Plantation ................................................ 79 CarriLite Corrals | Wesley Enterprises ................... 92 Cashel Company | Equibrand ......................................9 Cavallo Horse and Rider ............................................ 92 Circle Y | Tucker Saddlery ......................................... 99 Colorful Manes & Tails ............................................... 92 Connected Riding | Peggy Cummings ................... 77 Cowboy Magic .............................................................. 10 CQ Equine Giſt s ............................................................ 92 Dixie Midnight ............................................................... 93 Down Under Saddle Supply........................................4 Downunder Horsemanship ....................................... 45 Dr. Kerry Ridgway ........................................................ 75 Equicast, Inc .................................................................... 66 EquiLite - Botanical Animal........................................ 49 Equine Behaviorist | Bluebonnet ............................. 93 Equine Medical & Surgical Associates ................... 41 EquiSpirit ........................................................................ 85 EQYSS Grooming Products ..........................................3 Frank Lampley’s Products .......................................... 44 Heartland Veterinary Supply ................................... 92 High Horse Saddles ..................................................... 95 Horse And Rider Books ............................................. 24 Horse-e-lites .................................................................. 93 Imagine A Horse ........................................................... 23 J M Saddler Inc. ............................................................. 55


J T International Distributors .......................................2 Jardine Ranch ................................................................. 61 Kalglo Electronics Co. Inc. .......................................... 92 Kenetrek .......................................................................... 18 Kerrits Performance Equestrian Apparel .................8 Lance Campers ............................................................. 59 Leather T erapy ........................................................... 35 Long Rider’s Gear ......................................................... 92 Matrix T erapy Products............................................ 93 Milk Specialties ............................................................. 51 MSFHA ............................................................................ 92 Priefert Manufacturing ............................................... 11 Quadra Mfg.................................................................... 19 Sean Patrick .................................................................... 90 Side Step Safety Stirrups ........................................... 93 SilverQuine LLC ............................................................ 65 SmartPak Equine ........................................................7,17 SOURCE Inc. .................................................................. 39 Sox for Horses .............................................................. 92 Specialized Saddles ..................................................... 93 Step Ahead Farm .......................................................... 75 Summit Equine Nutrition ........................................... 38 T e Natural Feeder | Power To T e Hoof ............ 92 T e Nibble Net | T in Air Canvas, Inc. ................... 92 Tilt-Tie LLC ..................................................................... 93 Trails West Trailers ....................................................... 21 Transfer Flow ....................................................................4 Triple Crown Nutrition .................................................5 TTEAM ............................................................................ 32 Verm-Xusa ....................................................................... 44 W F Young | Absorbine ............................................100


98 November 2012 • WWW.TRAILBLAZERMAGAZINE.US Weaver Leather ............................................................ 33


CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE for the TRAIL RIDER Alpine Publications ............................................... 68 Ariat, Inc. ................................................................... 68 Bella Tocca Tags ...................................................... 68 Colorful Manes & Tails .......................................... 69 CQ Equine Giſt s ...................................................... 68 Diamond Wool Pad Co ......................................... 68 Doug Butler Enterprises ....................................... 68 Equine Medical & Surgical Associates.............. 68 EQyss Grooming Products .................................. 71 EZ Connector ........................................................... 68 Hoof Wraps .............................................................. 69 Hoof ack | Equine Innovations, Inc. ................... 69 Horse Health USA .................................................. 69 Imagine A Horse ..................................................... 69 J T International Distributors .............................. 69 Jardine Ranch ........................................................... 69 Leather T erapy ...................................................... 70 Natural Plan Stomach Soother ........................... 69 Priefert Manufacturing ......................................... 68 RackerWear | Tevis Endurance ........................... 70 Schneiders Saddlery .............................................. 69 Sean Patrick .............................................................. 70 SOURCE Inc. ............................................................ 70 Sox for Horses ........................................................ 70 STI Safety Breakaway Stirrups ............................ 70 Tail Tamer Products, Inc. ...................................... 70 T e NibbleNet | T in Air Canvas, Inc. .............. 70 Trails West Trailers ................................................. 70


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