Dear Diary: Let it be Spring. April 8

April 6

We've had crazy weather - summer and winter are still duking it out. This week it hit 80 degrees. (last week it got up to 55). But for the most part Spring has Sprung.

Lilacs are blooming, dandelions taking over the lawn, cherry blossoms, cottonwoods shedding cotton, the trees along the creeks are green now and the hills are green with spring grass. Still a lot of snow on the mountains - this is good!

The birds are mostly back, though I haven't seen the orioles yet. We have a pair of phoebe's that have been nesting in the corner of our porch by the front door for as long as I can remember. They are used to people and dogs and the door opening and closing, even during the rides and clinics they get on with their business. This year I tore down the old nest (mud and stuff) and closed off the hole into the wall, but tradition held, and they built a new nest on top of the porch light.

I've been watering the pasture and gardens since March - it's been dry and windy this spring and I needed to start the water early. The kildeer love it when I set the sprinkler in the pasture. Their cheerful peep peeps are a sure sign of spring.

Steph

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Dear Diary: Let it be spring. April 4

My 16,000 mile American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) patch came today - that’s 16,000 miles worth of endurance rides in the USA!

And here’s a thanks to the horses and the endurance miles they earned for me. Some had short careers for one reason or another (sickness, arthritis, injury, age, attitude) some stayed with me for a long time. Some were ridden by others as well as me. They were all special in some way!

Tiaro - my first Arabian endurance horse! scrawny and ugly but tough and loved to run. 1025 miles (1075 total)

Carrousell Vision - beautiful and capable Arabian. 1075 miles (just me)

Viargo - Carol's horse, a great ride. 50 miles (375 total)

CMR Benewah - fast and barely broke and loved to run. 525 miles (1200 total)

OMR Kalligraphy - ex race horse, awesome ride, retired due to arthritis. 150 miles (805 total)

Nature’s Quicksilve - half Russian Orlov Trotter - amazing mare. 680 miles (2200 total)

Nature’s Khruschev - half Russian Orlov Trotter - fast, safe, sane, tough, the best. 2865 miles (3415 total)

Nature’s Fantastic - half Russian Orlov Trotter - fast, but had a mean streak. 525 miles (575 total)

Bunchuk - pure Russian Orlov Trotter - imported from Russia as a driving horse. fast trot!!! 520 miles (1125 total)

Great Santin i - a rescue horse, Arabian, tough and game. 1305 miles (2455 total)

Sukaro HCC - ranch bred Arabian 'tougher than snot'. 325 miles (3625 total)

Jaziret Bey Musc - the best endurance horse - tough, fast, fun. 4105 miles ( 6620 total)

AM Bold Destiny - Heidi's horse. beautiful Arabian. 100 miles (840 total)

Jose Viola - the most fun horse to ride - happy, willing, tough. 450 miles (3985 total)

Ravenwood Dark Desire - aka Batman - fast and bold, a true superhero. 750 miles (2014 total)

Owyhee Smoke Signal - aka Smokey - born here at the ranch, a strong minded mare, a great ride. Many more miles together I hope! 455 miles (just me!)

Steph

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Dear Diary: Let it be Spring. April 2

First ride of the Northwest endurance season today - based out of our ranch (The Teeter Ranch) in Oreana. This was the 10th running of the Owyhee Tough Sucker ride. The trails aren't really all that tough - some sand, some rock, some climbs, but the weather... can be anything! We've had wind, rain, snow, hail, hurricanes, tornados, tsunamis, volcanoes, earthquakes... it can be Tough out there!

Our Tough Sucker Mascot has been Yosemite Sam, he's pretty tough, right? Ride awards are usually coffee mugs with the mascot and a few other silly things printed on it.

Well this year we decided to have a little fun. We're just a small ride, but we have big ambitions. The really big rides in the Middle East, where Sheiks and Royals compete, have grand prizes - typically shiny new 4WD vehicles - Toyota or maybe even Mercedes rigs. So what the heck. We advertised 4WD trucks for the winners of the Tenth Annual Tough Sucker ride. We even let folks pick their preference when they registered online - Toyota, Jeep, or Mercedes.

Well the competition was fierce* and the day was long. But oh what a day - it was the first really lovely spring day of the year. High of 75 degrees, light breeze to keep everybody comfortable, lots of green grass on the trail, wildflowers, blue sky... it really was a beautiful day, smiles all around. Of course the trail was tough enough, especially for horses and riders on the first competition of the season. We threw in some good climbs and sand washes and tried to keep up our reputation. But it was a happy day.

We let Sam have a little fun (at least on the completion mugs).

And the winners were excited about their 4WD truck awards. There was even some back room dealing on who would get the best models, and what to do with the vehicles if the recipient had to go home before the awards ceremony.

We lined up all the trucks for a photo before they went home with their new owners.

It really was a fun day. I had a fantastic 50 mile ride on Smokey, she felt good all day and just ate up the miles. She's a good one, we just have to keep our relationship firmly defined. (I'm the boss).

A good day for Tough Suckers.

Steph

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* not really...

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