The first 3 days were immensely hilly. From Slaterville Springs to South Danby was nuts, all hills. From Danby to Spencer wasn’t too bad, but from Spencer to Chemung we went up and down a few massive hills.
We averaged 13 miles each day for those 3. I started jogging up and down the super steep parts. During those 3 days we spent nights with extreme car/truck gear heads, a Christian family that rescues neglected horses and a animal park petting zoo. Dave from Farmland recommended I let people up the road know I was coming ahead of time. More on that below…
After a good rest day we left from Farmland Animal Park and walked to the Dandy in Chemung. Then we rode to Wellsburg then went south towards Fassett. It got hilly out there. No one with horses was home west of Fassett so we kept on going and made it almost to Mosherville. Found a sweet place after some running around. Had a good visit with the Currens who own mountain pleasure horses then the next day made our way west towards Lawrenceville before the rain. That day we stopped early and hung out with some Morgan people. It was the first day of rain since the first day of the trip!
The 3rd day I rode into Elkland to stay at a friend’s I knew. River Run Ranch, run by April Smith. April knows her gaited horses and her stuff. From saddles, to easy boot gloves to Myler bits, wow, she’s a knowledgeable horse woman.
She had to go the next day so I rode another day, just 4 miles to Sharons, the sister of the very nice roping lady, Jennifer from a couple days back. Jennifer also coordinated a day off and a meet and greet at a feed store across from her sisters. Thru Jennifer and Jackie, I met a gazillion PA horse people. We had a little bit of a FB blitz and we almost froze my blog! You guys in PA are the best!
We did the meet and greet at Blends in Elkland then got ready to ride to Cowanesque horse club stable the next day, 10 miles west. The day after we rode to ulysses which has a lot of Amish people. The 3rd day we rode another 15 miles to the Sweden Valley.
As we are approaching 500 miles, we made plans to give an extended rest to Roxy, something we will do next when we reach 1000 miles, around Christmas in Chattanooga. This Wed and Thurs, then Saturday and Sunday down on Odin Road, we will be giving Roxy some beauty rest.
Roxy’s only sign of wear is in the rear ankles and fetlocks, so it’s my job to walk her at times and rest her enough to finish the trip in a healthy manner. I got pads for the easy boots and ankle wraps and that’s helping the inflammation a whole bunch. She’s back to trotting at times.
Now it’s time to relax.
Thank you for taking the time to blog and post pictures of Roxy’s and your trek southward. I read so intently that my eyes glazed over in fear of blinking and perhaps missing something. I’m riding right beside you as I scroll and read…
Happy trails, cowboy.
When or are you planning on coming through Kentucky? Would like to try to meet up and ride with you.
End November to mid December. Hope to see you then. Take care.
Where abouts are you in Kentucky? I will be in Louisa for a little bit right at the beginning of December for a little rest. Then will head towards Daniel Boone Forest. Hope to meet you in person.