Riding...Minus the Sores

Once upon a time,
I went on a weekend overnight trail ride down in Farmington (if you don't remember that post, look it up!). I was in my Hereford barrel saddle for six hours on Saturday and maybe two on Sunday. After the six hours, I developed what I thought was the impossible: saddle sores. I've had sore muscles, stiff joints...but saddle sores?! Turns out that this is a common problem, along with getting sore knees, getting sores on the insides of your knees, having rubs on your, ahem, derrière, or even on the insides of your thighs.

So, in an effort to prevent this from happening again, I did some asking around, research, and thinking in the pursuit of being sore-less and in finding a new saddle. With trail riding season right around the corner (hopefully, anyway!) I thought I would share my findings with you.

#1 - It's all in the jeans.

This.

Not this.

Yep, you got that right. The jeans you wear may determine if and where you get sores. On regular jeans (think Silver, American Eagle, Mossimo, whatever you get at department stores) the seams can sometimes rub you raw, especially in the knee and thigh area. This can be aggravated by having baggy jeans. The seams do not lay flat as well and will rub you raw.
Having embellishments or buttons on the butt pockets of your jeans could also make for a lumpy and sore ride. I would avoid these on long rides as well.

If you have this problem, there are a few options. Certain companies like Wrangler make jeans that work better in the saddle. They are relatively inexpensive and can be found at most farm stores like Fleet Farm or Tractor Supply. Otherwise, there are other brands of riding jeans out there - you would just have to look. If jeans aren't an option, you could always ride in breeches, which are almost guaranteed to not rub you raw. However, the downfall to that idea is that breeches can be pretty expensive and would look a bit off with a western saddle.

#2 - Under...wear?
This is the problem that I am trying to combat. Certain underwear will chafe in areas that are sensitive and inexplicably private, making your rides not enjoyable.

I have not yet tried any of these solutions presented next, but I hope to soon. This seems to be a common problem for ladies because of the cut of their underwear, which is why boy short underwear are suggested. However, woman seem to either love or abhor this type of underwear, I being in the latter category. Another solution that was given was to go commando, though I can't see this working in some jeans because of the seams. The two ideas I came up with were trying riding underwear, which, of course, are more expensive than plain, old underwear, or buying seamless underwear.

#3 - #ridingproblems

Fix these stirrups now!

The way you ride can be another way to possess saddle sores. Fortunately, these are fairly easy to fix and don't cost money, just redoing your muscle memory. The two biggies that will cause sores are sliding too much in the saddle and not having the correct stirrup length. Make sure to sit still in the saddle and use your muscles to hold yourself. And then check your stirrup length. Do you really have to reach for your stirrups? Are you in a chair seat? If so, it might be time to adjust the stirrups. I've read that the best way to approximate stirrup length is to stand in the saddle. If your butt is just a few inches away from the saddle, your stirrups are about the right length. If you can't stand, they are too long. And if you're way up in the air, it might be best to lengthen them. Of course, in an English saddle, this is different. You'll want to hang your legs down and have the tread of the stirrup hit your heel or just a bit lower. Although jumpers do shorten up their stirrups for jumping, this can cause your knees to hurt after so long. You'd be better going off with the flat or dressage length suggested above.

#4 - Get your seat situated.
Make sure you're in a saddle that fits both you and your horse correctly. Because I do not know a whole lot about saddles fitting myself, I recommend that you look for a saddle fitter in the area or at least someone who is knowledgeable about saddle fitting that can help you determine what fits you and your horse. If the seat is too small, your butt can start thumping the cantle. If it's too big, you're swimming around. Some saddles fit better than others. Again, make sure the saddle fits your horse too because a horse with saddle sores gets about as irritated as a ride with them!


#5 - Endurance, dressage, trail, OH MY!
With so many saddles on the market, it is hard to make a choice on what saddle to use for trail riding. While you can ride on the trails in any saddle, it is important for long distance rides that you pick a saddle that is especially comfortable and made for these rides. Trail saddles, of course, are a great pick for trail riding. Endurance saddles I have heard are also very comfortable for long rides in the saddle. Ranch saddles are also prime contenders for comfort as they are used extensively by cowboys that sit in a saddle almost all day sometimes as they herd cattle.

If you have a hankering for a saddle that is geared more towards the English rider, you also have a few options. A closer contact saddle that I would consider almost a cross between a western and English saddle is an Australian saddle. They have the comfort of a western seat, sometimes come with a horn, but have the English feel. Otherwise, there are some English trail saddles out there, and many people have said that riding in a dressage saddle is very comfortable, as can be an all-purpose.

Again, this all depends on your wants and needs.

#6 - Brand it!
Of course, some brands are better known than others for their comfort. For western saddles, I have had many people recommend Circle Y saddles as a mid-range, comfortable saddle. One of my managers at work swears Herefords are also comfy, though obviously that wasn't my case. If you want to go up to the higher end, Orthoflex saddles, Bob Marshall saddles, and Tucker saddles are frequently talked about. If you're on a price crunch, you can look for used or look into Bighorns, Fabtrons, or Wintecs.

Most endurance people that I have heard from have recommended Abettas as a great saddle.

In the Australian world, many people have said that a person needs to be careful about what quality saddle he or she is getting. Some of the lower end Aussies are not made well and are not comfortable for the horse or the rider. Many recommend looking into the ones actually made in Australia. Syd Hill is a name that frequently is mentioned.

English saddles are not as widely recommended (because, really, how many people do you know that trail ride English?), but, surprisingly enough, I've heard many good things about an English Wintec saddle as a trail saddle. A cushy dressage saddle also makes for a comfortable trail saddle, and I've had a few people express that Stubbens are very comfortable.

#7 - It's a material world
In the brand itself, there are many different materials to pick from. Many people think that synthetics are cheap and not as good as leather, but this is not so much the case for trail riding. In fact, many people prefer synthetics because they are easy to clean and are not ruined by water on trails. However, a good leather saddle is still just a good leather saddle.

The tree of a saddle is also broadly discussed. Flex trees are now widely available, and there is both love and hate when it comes to them. Some say that after riding in a flex tree that they would never go back to a regular tree, yet others are convinced that flex trees are no good on a horse's back. I have not researched the topic much, so it would be a good idea to look into flex trees if you are considering going that route.

I think the seat material of the saddle is also worth mentioning. Many are a suede sort of material, and that to me is comfortable short-term but causes problems in the long run with the adhesiveness to your butt. I imagine it to be more likely to rub. A seat saver is always a quick fix to that.

Also, make sure the saddle has what you need for a trail ride, like many places to tie things and a place to hook on saddle bags. It always helps to have the proper equipment handy!

#8 - Get in shape!
My manager at work suggested this one to me. She said that perhaps since I am not used to riding in a western saddle that I got pressure points in different areas, causing sores. It's like a child on the monkey bars. The child gets blisters from inconsistent use, builds up calluses, and goes on. Make sure you continuously use your saddle...and, when in doubt, use a seat saver!!

I am absolutely head over heels for my new saddle, my Orthoflex. It's beautiful, amazing, comfy, and it fits Rusty pretty well. I got it off of Ebay. It wasn't cheap, but I think my butt will thank me later for it!

Saddle sores be gone,
Kelsey 

Peterson Pits, Ames, IA

On President's Day, I was fortunate enough to be able to go riding with some friends down in Ames in a local park called Peterson Pits. The weather, although dreary, was fairly good and the air was warm. We all had school off that day, so we decided to go check out the first trail location of 2014 for my blog.

Peterson Pits is located off of Highway 69 between Story City and Ames. The park is located on 45th Street and can also be found using Dayton Avenue in Ames if you are coming from in town. The road to Peterson Pits is gravel. The park roads seemed to be fairly well maintained as we did not have a problem getting in or out with the snow.

My friend Madison came along for the ride, and we drove to Huxley to pick up my other friend, Brea, and her horse, Sunny. Because none of us had had lunch, we decided to make a pit stop at McDonald's before starting our trail ride to pick up a little something to eat.

We decided it would be best to go through the drive-thru for the sake of time and because I brought along my Pug/Terrier mix, Mylie, for her first trail ride. As we pulled up to the clearance bar, I was a little concerned that my trailer would not make clearance. I told Madison and Brea to watch the bar to see if it swung before I drove up to the golden arch. They assured me that I made clearance, so I continued to pull up to place my order.

Suddenly, after placing the order, Brea and Madison informed me that the bar was swinging. I was already halfway under the golden arch, so I tried to turn out to miss hitting the golden arch and breaking it off with my trailer. I ended up hitting it anyway. Fortunately, it just nicked the arch, and no damage was done. So, my friends, I highly recommend you know exactly how tall your trailer is.

Because I could not go under the eaves to the rest of the drive thru, I had to drive alongside them and get out to pay and get our meal. The first window opened, and the lady goes, "Ba-da-bup-ba-daa!"

Terrifying. Just terrifying. Before this moment, I did not think it was possible for anyone to truly love working at McDonald's so much that they sang the theme song to every customer. The lady was almost overzealous and barraged us with a bunch of questions about our horses. Finally, she shut the window, but not before she sang, "Ba-dah-bup-ba-daa!"

The lady at the second window just stared. Apparently this situation was not an everyday occurrence. Either that or she was disturbed by the fact that Brea was feeding a suddenly hyper Mylie ice cream right off of her spoon. Before, Mylie was passed out in the back of my truck.

We ate on the drive and headed down to Peterson Pits. There, we parked by the lake. Quite a few people were out that day either walking on the trails or ice fishing in the lake. We unloaded our horses and began tacking up. Mylie was running around, since there are no leash regulations in the winter months, and the next thing we knew, she ran off with some people walking down one of the trails. So, of course, we had to go find the dog. The picture below is of the lake by the parking lot.

After looking for Mylie for about an hour, we finally headed back to the trailer to see if she had gone back there. Sure enough, Mylie was standing by it. It became clear that Mylie needs a lot more training and better listening skills before she gets to go on trail rides. We put her in the trailer and continued our ride, after I found a nearby Port-A-Potty to use.

Peterson Pits has maybe a couple of hours of trails for people to explore, depending on how fast you plan on riding. It is mostly in a wooded area, but you can get access to the roadway, which is quiet enough to ride down if you desire that.

 

Above is a picture of what most of the trails typically looked like. It would be hard to get lost out there, as the trails are very prominent and there is not enough land to get lost on. The trails were also pretty clean, but there were a few logs here and there that you could go over if you wanted to. Madison, who rode Rusty that day, popped him over a log a couple of times.

There is also a nice view of a creek that goes through the park. When it's not frozen, you can go and ride through it. Unfortunately, it was frozen and the trails were somewhat icy, so we had to forgo the creek, but it sure was pretty!

 

There are also a few big, open, grassy areas that are flat and allow for a nice gallop. You can bet we tried them out! Little, old Knight, who is pretty out of shape, actually had a blast running with his buddies and even threw in a couple of bucks.

 The roads also are nice viewing areas. In this picture below, you can see what Peterson Pits looks like from the road:

If you rode up the road a little ways, there were some very stunning views of hills and pastures. There is also a small conservation area nearby that would permit horseback riders. We didn't have enough time to explore that, but hopefully next time we can.

 Isn't that just gorgeous? This is off a road that intersects 45th Street. The pasture area on that road was beautiful, and there were some really cute houses up there as well.

After that point, we decided to head back to the trailer, since it had started snowing. It was a wise choice because the ride home was a little bit perilous. Because everything had started to melt, when the temperature dropped, the roads became very icy. I had to take back roads back to my hometown because I could not get any traction on the interstate. We made it home safely - and that was about the last nice day we've had since.

Here are a couple other pictures of the trail ride through different terrain.

 This is in one of the grassy areas again. Brea is riding in front of us. And yes, she went bareback for the ride.

You can see the ice in this picture on the trails. I was a little worried about one of the horses slipping, but everyone was able to keep their hooves in line.

And, just for fun, here's a picture of what cabin fever causes my horses to do:

Yep, you got it. Casper and Rusty are sharing a hay pile. When does that EVER happen???

Keep on wishing for better weather so I can keep showing you some awesome trails and telling you about our awesome adventures!

Until next time,
Kelsey

 

Cabin Fever!

When we see the first snowfall in November, we're mesmerized. Nothing is prettier than the first snowfall. Even at the second snowfall, we're still tolerating winter. After all, the holiday season is coming, and what is Christmas without snow? We ring in the New Year's, hopeful that the new year will be prosperous, adventurous, romantic, or a time of change.

And then we enter January.

By this time, we're all tired of the cold. I know I am. We want the snow to disappear into the ground, the ice to melt into mud, and the sun to come back out so we can hop back on our horses and ride.

In fact, we can ride right now. The horses aren't usually the ones that get cold. We are.




 



If the hairs in your nose don't freeze, you have the thumbs-up to ride, according to a post on Facebook by Julie Goodnight. There are, however, some extra precautions to take.

-Riding on ice is a very bad idea. Shoes or not, horses are very liable to slip. We all know that person that slipped on ice, fell, and broke something. The same exact thing could happen to you or your horse. If it's icy, DON'T RIDE.

-Know where you're going and let someone know. Letting someone know where you're going is actually always a good idea, even if it's in the dead heat of summer. Because the weather can turn pretty quick and because the temperatures drop steadily once the sun goes under, make sure that you have an idea of your whereabouts at all times so you don't freeze to death out in the wilderness.

-Dress for warmth. Layering is always a great option. Make sure whatever you are wearing will be nice and toasty for the length of your ride. If you start to sweat, take off a layer. The sweat can give you a chill, like it does for a horse that wears a blanket on a warmer day. Thick socks, thick gloves, and even a hat or earmuffs should be considered. You can put warmers in your gloves and boots for extra protection. Long underwear is also very beneficial.

-Bring water and food for a long ride. This is a given in any situation, but both are also important in cold weather.

-Know the signs of frostbite and hypothermia. Both can set in very quickly and are serious matters. If any part of your body starts going numb and becomes red and painful, this can be the onset. The skin can then progress to a gray color. To reverse frostbite, you can use other parts of your body like the armpit to warm a frostbitten finger up, put affected areas in warm water, and get inside to a warm room. Be careful not to burn yourself because of the numbness that has set in. Getting warmth is also important to people suffering from hypothermia. Hypothermia sufferers may be shaking, have slurred speech or impaired motor skills, be confused, and/or feel exhausted. Wet clothing should be taken off the victim and the core of the body should be warmed before the extremities.

-Check your trailer and truck. Winter seems to be the time for vehicles to have problems. Make sure your tires are full and that everything is working properly. An oil change or tire rotation may not be a bad idea, either, if the vehicle hasn't been serviced in a while.

-Cool off properly. Before you load the horse back onto a trailer to go home, make sure he is cooled down properly. Winter makes horses take longer to warm up and cool down. A blanket is also recommended for the ride home so the horse does not become chilled.

See? You don't have to wait until spring to hit the trails! You can start right now. In fact, the first trail of the new year will be covered sometime next week after I take a President's Day ride in Ames, IA at Peterson Pits. Pictures and information will come.

And these guys are coming along: Knight, my little Arab, and Mylie, my Pug/Terrier mix. Of course, Rusty will be along for the ride as well, but I will be loaning him out for one of my friends to use.

So long, folks! Happy New Year,

Kelsey


Miracles DO Happen!

To my ever-faithful followers,

I've got some news that may just blow your mind. It certainly did mine.

If you've been following since the beginning, you'll remember that my horse, Rusty, had an injury a year ago where he broke his lateral malleolus - in basic terms, about the top part of his tibia. We all know what usually happens when a horse breaks something: they're permanently lame or only suitable for light riding. In Rusty's case, this is what the vet from Iowa State, Dr. Stephanie Caston, said:

"This horse has a guarded prognosis to return to an athletic career and a poor prognosis to become a future light riding/pleasure horse due to the fracture location, joint involvement and arthritis that is already present and will continue to develop in the future."

Long-term rest was essential, and although Rusty received an injection in his hock to help inflammation, the vet doubted it would last long. Basically, he was done for. The vet even mentioned euthanasia as an option. My first horse, the horse I trained to jump myself, the horse that would do anything for me - he wouldn't be ridden again. I cried and cried, but I knew there was nothing I could do but hope and pray that it wouldn't be the case. My friends suggested that I start looking for a different show horse, and one of the gals I worked with mentioned something about getting a second opinion. In my heart of hearts, though, I knew the damage had been done.





 This is Rusty's hock 3 weeks after the injury. If you look up in the right-hand corner, you'll see the fracture line. If you go down farther, those little shadows around the leg are the bone chips that came off. Also, if you look at the shadow that encapsulates the bone, you'll be able to see that Rusty's hock is swollen enormously.

Somehow, after this injury though, Rusty's swelling managed to go down, and he was no longer running around on three legs. If horses ran three-legged races, I think Rusty would have won, hands down! Fortunately, he was able to move on all four, and slowly but surely, we began a little work with him.

My local vet told me that next spring that Rusty might be able to handle very light riding, mostly at a walk on flat surfaces maybe twice a week. Any more than that, he said, would probably cause him to go lame.

In the fall, after Rusty had been on numerous trail rides with semi-difficult ground about once a week, he walked, trotted, cantered, and galloped. When I took him to get his fall vaccines, the vet told me that I could probably do moderate work with him on an occasional basis - not jumping, per say, but some heavy trail riding. If we did it regularly, the vet guessed that he would probably go lame. He suggested that I take him back to the university to get an x-ray to see how everything had healed up.

After the same vet (Dr. Caston) examined him and took his x-rays, this is what she said in her report and also to me:

"His left hock is slightly larger than his right, but he is able to ambulate well when walked and trotted.

When a flexion test was performed on his left hock there was a slight difference in his gait, but no significant lameness was noted before that on the straight or in circles. The fracture of the left hind lateral malleolus has healed nicely. There are some slight roughened edges and some bony changes noted in the joint, but they are minimal. There are a couple of mild bone fragments embedded in the soft tissue on the medial side of the hock."

And then she said this, and it nearly made me cry:

"You can put Rusty into regular work and do whatever discipline you want with him."  

No Christmas present will be as wonderful as this one. This entire year I have ached to ride Rusty over a jump again, to be able to trust that he'd go over, to feel like we could accomplish anything. His x-ray looks amazing, as you can see here:

I'm not going to blow this picture up because you can see things pretty well at this size. Look in the upper right-hand corner. You can still see the fracture line, but the vet says it has healed up very nicely. In the left and right sides of the center of the picture, you can still see those bone fragments, which have settled into the tissue, not the joint. You can see in places that things have smoothed off, and if you look at his actual hock area, not the bone, you can see that it is still a little large but nowhere near as swollen as last time. The vet said the largeness is due to scar tissue that developed. His arthritic changes seem to be progressing slowly and are minor. He can be ridden regularly, jumped, and can do just about anything. If he gets sore, we may have to inject somewhere along the line, and we can also use Adaquan or Legend to help keep those joints maintained. He should be outside where he can move well (and he is!), and if he's warmed up carefully, things should go well.

This goes to show that miracles do happen, and sometimes the worst of scenarios can turn out fine. Next spring, I'm not quite sure what Rusty and I have in plan. I'd like to return him to the low hunters and work on finessing his lead changes and form. Obviously, there will be lots of trail riding, and a small part of me hopes I can do a beginner novice event with him.

Unfortunately, Casper did not receive the same great news Rusty did. After being dumped off at jumps, handling the unwillingness to move forward, and all the behavioral issues Casper started having, I took him to the university as well. He does has Degenerative Joint Disease in his right front leg, and everyone assumed that that was the culprit of all of this.

That was not the case. We found that Casper has Navicular Disease, which is similar to arthritis. The navicular bone is right around the fetlock area. His progression was fast, and his case is severe. We're not sure what kind of riding Casper will be able to handle in the future if we decide to inject him. He certainly isn't going to be doing any heavy-duty work with that damage, and although the vet said that the injections might make him perfectly sound, I can't see us doing much more in the jumping ring. The poor boy is only 12, and at this point, we're just going to let him rest out at pasture.

But, I am certainly happy that one of my horses came home with a positive prognosis! We all agreed Rusty is some horse, especially after the tantrum he threw in the vet office when we tried to get him to walk on the scale and step over it. Or when he was pacing his stall and whinnying because he couldn't see Casper. Or when he tried to get a drink out of the automatic waterer and the noise of it turning on spooked him. This happened to be his best moment:



Yes, Rusty had to be sedated for his radiograph. When he came back, you could tell he was sedated. His eyes were glossy and his lip was practically dragging on the floor. When he got in his stall, he practically dropped his head to his knees because he was so out of it. When I went in to take the picture, he kept trying to get away from the camera. Apparently sedation makes this guy act like a grumpy, old horse.

The next photo here is with the "scary" waterer. Rusty seems too out of it to realize that he's close to it!
Happy trails, ya'll!

River Valley Lodge and Campground - Farmington, IA October 21-23, 2013

Nestled in the rolling hills of southeastern Iowa, the River Valley Lodge and Campground is a second home for campers and horseback riders. The campground is located in Farmington, Iowa, which is one of the historic villages in Van Buren county. It has a population of 756 and is home to an annual strawberry festival that is held in June. Farmington is about 20 miles away from the nearest recognizable town in Missouri and borders the Des Moines River.

Here's about how long it takes to get to Farmington from some major Midwest cities:

Des Moines, IA - 145 miles, 2 hours and 30 minutes
Minneapolis, MN - 385 miles, 5 hours and 45 minutes
Rochester, MN - 280 miles, 4 hours and 40 minutes
La Crosse, WI - 265 miles, 4 hours and 50 minutes
Madison, WI - 275 miles, 4 hours and 25 minutes
Milwaukee, WI - 325 miles, 5 hours and 10 minutes
Chicago, IL - 285 miles, 4 hours and 35 minutes
Rockford, IL - 235 miles, 4 hours
Kansas City, MO - 235 miles, 4 hours
Springfield, MO - 315 miles, 5 hours 3 minutes
Columbia, MO - 175 miles, 3 hours
Wichita, KS - 435 miles, 6 hours and 40 minutes
Omaha, NE - 285 miles, 4 hours and 30 minutes
Lincoln, NE - 330 miles, 5 hours and 15 minutes
North Platte, NE - 555 miles, 8 hours and 15 minutes
Sioux Falls, SD - 430 miles, 6 hours and 30 minutes
Pierre, SD - 646 miles, 9 hours and 35 minutes
Bismarck, ND - 810 miles, 11 hours and 40 minutes

The River Valley Lodge and Campground is about one mile from Farmington. When you drive in, there will be a sign to greet you and direct you to the office. You can pay inside the office, and they will give you directions to your campsite.

There are three different types of camping allowed at the River Valley. If you don't want to rough it and if you like air conditioning, there is a bunkhouse or a cabin that is available for rent.

The bunkhouse is actually an old schoolhouse and still has the chalkboard inside. Six people or even more can fit inside. Just bring sleeping bags, pillows, and dishes as a small refrigerator and a microwave are available. One stall comes in the fee with the bunkhouse. $100 per night is the fee. Outside, there is also a bell, as pictured below, and signs that will help you find your way to other buildings. This would be a great place for a family to sleep.

For a single person or two people, the cabin is another housing option for the stay. It's a beautiful, wooden cabin right near all the amenities you'll need like the bathroom, office, and horse barn. You'll have to bring a sleeping bag, pillow, and dishes for the microwave and mini-fridge. This option is less expensive than the bunkhouse at $75 per night, with a horse stall included.

If you have your own camper, there are also 50 campsites with electrical hookup that comes with electricity, water, a picnic table, and a fire pit. One stall is included with the campsite. One of the lodge owners told me that the campsites can fill up fast, so I would suggest planning ahead. The electric campsites cost $25 except on Friday and Saturday, where they are $30.

Lastly, for the real troopers, there's primitive camping. This is what my group did. The lodge owner told me that primitive campsites are always open. They're $15 a night, and I recommend that you all try pitching a tent and sleeping on the ground like a true cowboy!

For the horses, there's also a couple of options. You can rent a covered stall for $5 except on Friday and Saturday when it is $8. If you have two horses that get along, you can put them in one stall. Otherwise, you can get four 20 by 30 foot pens for $10. The high ties are free. You'll just want to make sure that your halter is tight and your knot is secure, as our horses did escape once on the first night!

I also want to mention that the campground does not enforce generator laws. I found this out when my group was somehow thought to be in another group, and our groups were placed together on one campsite. One gal had a horse trailer and ran a generator all night. I went up to the office to see if there was anything we could do, and while the lodge owner apologized for the mistake and offered to move us in the morning, I do wonder how we got paired with this group, as we reserved a campsite for just the three of us, but people do make mistakes.

The office, bathroom, lodge, wash house, and playground are all located in a circle where you first pull in. It's a nice layout, and we found it easy to access, even in the middle of the night when a bathroom break was needed.

Your first stop will be the office, where you check in and pay. Every time I went into the office, the owner was there, day and evening. You will be assigned your campsite from there and given directions to it. The office also offers brochures about the River Valley Lodge and a map of the trails, including the ones leading into the Shimek Forest. The map was somewhat difficult to read, but we managed. Also, I noticed in the office that they did ask for you to report any mountain lion sightings, something to keep in mind while riding on the trail.

Beside the office is the lodge, which is a very elegant place used to hold conferences, weddings, or any other special events. I cannot say enough about the beauty of this building, especially the inside. It would have no problem seating many people. The weekend we were there, a wedding did take place, and the happy couple was escorted out in a horse drawn carriage. Very romantic for any horse lover!


Kids will not be disappointed with the amenities either. River Valley has plenty of places for kids to play, including a typical playground by the lodge and the Injun Fort, which has places to climb and play Cowboys vs. Indians! For younger kids, there is a carousel outside of the lodge that I believe takes some change for a ride.                                                 












Although we did not make use of this amenity, a washroom with a washer and dryer is also available. I think it is coin operated, and it sure is nice if your clothes get wet from rain during the night or if you are planning on staying for a while and need to wash some clothing.

The bathrooms were, by far, the best amenity that River Valley had for its campers. It was, hands down, the best bathroom I have ever seen at a campsite. There is a big counter with two nice sinks and a mirror to the right when you walk in the door. There's also a hand dryer. To the left is a ledge that you can put your things on, and farther into the bathroom are the bathroom stalls and a large mirror. At the end of the bathroom are the shower stalls. There are three of them, if I remember right, and one is a handicap accessible shower stall. The bathroom is very clean and is also heated. I felt like I was at a hotel whenever I stepped in.

The decorations in the bathroom were also astounding, and I felt as I was actually out west. Besides the cute little sign (see picture), there was a boot stuffed with flowers (see picture) and a few other western decorations. These people thought of everything! Actually, in every building at River Valley, the interior design and thoughtfulness to aesthetics was amazing.

For riding, there were two arenas that were available and an obstacle course, which I unfortunately did not get any pictures of. There was plenty of room to warm your horse up before hitting the trails. The obstacle course was very challenging, and I was proud that Rusty and I completed most parts of it. I think the biggest hit was the teeter totter, which Rusty did go over once. When the bridge went down, Rusty froze and later, my friends kept telling me how big his eyes got! There was also a wooden post that was attached to a rope that you could pull behind your horse. We did that one, too. Then there was a narrow bridge and an awning that had ribbons covering it that you had to walk your horse through. Those were no problems - thankfully Rusty is not a spooky horse. Then, you could either go and step through the tires, which I did not do, or go to the drop and up, which was similar to what you would see on a cross-country course. Danielle and Brea both completed the drop and up, as Danielle is an experienced cross-country rider and Brea is a talented daredevil that went bareback the entire ride. Rusty got to the edge of the bank (and I'm in my western saddle, mind you), and suddenly LEAPED off of it, nearly throwing me up of the saddle. Needless to say, I didn't try going up. Once you did that, you got to go down to the pond and get your horse through the water, which has never been a problem for Rusty.

The arenas were both large, and one actually had a barrel pattern set up. I think there were also bending poles you could put out, and there was an obstacle that was similar to a door frame that you could walk through. In one of the arenas on Saturday night, a drill team performed, and I have this slideshow from a video I took.

We got to River Valley about six p.m. on Friday night and set up camp with the people who were also at the campsite - that was the mistake that the office made. They were pretty nice, though, and welcomed us to the campfire, and we shared food both nights we were there. On Saturday morning, we hit the trails with this group, who liked to take things at quite a fast pace. They headed right into the Shimek Forest and off of the River Valley trails, so most of my pictures are of the Shimek Forest.

Most of the time, you are not really in the sunlight because you are in the forest. I would not recommend the trails out in the Shimek Forest to novice riders. There are far too many steep hills and narrow trails. Also, there are a couple of gullies out there that can scare the pan
ts off riders that are not used to riding down steep areas. Riders that are afraid of getting lost should either ride with people who know the area or find a good map - you can and will be lost. In most places, the trails are dirt or grass, but there are some rocky areas where tenderfoot horses might appreciate shoes. None of our horses were shod and were fine, but their feet were a little chipped after our ride from the rocky spots. A lot of the people we rode with were riding inexperienced horses. This is quite a challenge for an inexperienced horse and will definitely provide lots of new experiences.



When going out for a ride, I recommend packing an extra coat, a rain coat, food, a high-tie rope, a halter and lead, and water. You could be stuck out there all day, and just in case you need to rest or eat, it would be appropriate to bring these items along. In the summer, I'm guessing bug spray, sunscreen, fly spray, and even a riding fly mask (Cashel makes them) would also be helpful. It would also be wise to bring along a first aid kit, a compass, and your cell phone. The cell reception was fairly good in places.


We did not come across any water crossings out in the Shimek Forest. There were many creek beds that were dried up, showing that the last two summers of drought have affected southern Iowa. However, there were a few muddy areas, especially on the downhills, and it was important to take special note to those. No shoes were sucked off in the mud, though, so it wasn't that bad. The leaves were not yet turning color, even though we went at the end of October. There was plenty of foliage to observe. There was brier deep in the forest, and I'm sure there was plenty of poison ivy, too, so I would recommend being careful where you stop or take a potty break.


One of the biggest hits of the Shimek Forest is something that was called the Bra Tree. When our camp-mates were telling us about it, I was sure that it wasn't real. But sure enough, it exists somewhere out in the Shimek Forest. Legend has it that there is another Bra Tree out there as well, where hundreds of bras are displayed on a trunk. This one had less than ten; it also had some underwear.

The other legend in the Shimek Forest is the Lonesome Dove sign. The group we rode with found the sign the next day, when we did not ride with them. Lonesome Dove was a western show that was quite popular. One of the guys we rode with had a picture of the sign and showed us, so it definitely exists!

One of the most special things about the River Valley that we got to experience was the cowboy church that was held on Sunday morning up by the north arena. It was a small gathering of people. The person who delivered the message was not a minister but had been delivering the message for cowboy church countless times. He read out of the Cowboy Bible, and there were handouts of the book for everyone to take home with them. The message was simple and easy to relate to. Best of all, it served any denomination - Lutheran, Catholic, Evangelical, Baptist, etc. It was truly a blessed experience.


After church, it was a great time to ride into town and get breakfast. Farmington is only a mile away from the campground and is horse friendly. There os a restaurant that is open for breakfast, a bar, a grocery store, and several small businesses. There are quite a few nearby hitching posts, and the town is small enough that you don't have to hassle with vehicles or semis.

All in all, the River Valley Lodge and Campground is an experience that will not disappoint. My friends and I want to go back this next summer and fall for another fun-filled adventure. If you're looking for a family-friendly campground, River Valley would suit your interests well. If you have any additional questions about this ride, please feel free to comment below! Also, here is the website to the River Valley Lodge and Campground:
 http://www.rivervalleylodgeandcampground.com/

Here are some more pictures that were taken from the ride. The horses in the pictures are Rusty (the red dun, my horse), Sunny (the chestnut Saddlebred), and Kenyon (the gray Arabian/Trakehner corss). Brea, the redhead, owns Sunny and is the one that rode bareback. Danielle, the brunette, owns Kenyon and rode in her cross-country saddle the entire six hour ride! And I'm the blond.

Helmet or No Helmet?

First of all, I want to apologize for not getting a trail up for you this weekend. I had a trail ride scheduled, but the person riding with me had something come up and could not go. But I can guarantee you that this weekend will bring a fount of information on a great place to ride. Look for some pre-ride information tomorrow, and lots of pictures to come on Sunday or Monday!
As a filler for my trail ride, I rode Rusty down to a cemetery about two or three miles from my house. I put my boots on and slapped a saddle and bridle on Rusty. But did I wear a helmet? Not this time. I would say that 90 percent of the time, I wear a helmet. The 10 percent of the time that I don't is when I'm riding Rusty on the flat on even terrain. However, I don't usually condone this.
Many people say that to stay safe, you must wear a helmet. I don't like this statement. People do die falling off even with a helmet. However, a helmet is a precaution, likened to a seat belt. Yes, you can still die wearing a seat belt or a helmet, but they can prevent further injury had a person not worn one.
For example, if you're ever on Youtube looking up horse videos, there is a good chance you'll come across memorial videos of Jessica Forsyth. She was a 14-year-old girl who lived in California and died in a riding accident while she was wearing a helmet. Speculation says that Forsyth took her horse over a jump bareback, and since he would bolt after jumps, she used the arena fence to stop him. However, the theory is that the horse's momentum was too great, and he flipped over the fence and landed on her, crushing her skull and neck. Type her name into any search engine and surely you'll find many articles on the accident as well as videos of her riding.

A coma from a skull fracture and bleeding in the brain left Courtney King-Dye, a well-known dressage rider, with months of physical therapy to overcome the damage to her brain. She was schooling her horse when he slipped. She was not wearing a helmet. King-Dye is now a major advocate for helmets and believes the outcome could have been different that day had she been wearing a helmet. In the picture to the left is Courtney King-Dye for reference.
We worry that helmets look stupid to those that don't wear them or that they'll mess up our hair (which they certainly do!), but are either of those excuses big enough to forgo a preventative measure? The safest horse could still have an outburst where the rider fell and the horse stepped on the rider's head. A helmet won't totally prevent injury, but it might prevent your death.

This helmet fits this girl well.

Helmets have gotten more stylish in the past years too, making them not look like big bowls on a person's head. They come in assorted colors now. They are lightweight, allow air to get to your head, and have a stronger foundation to protect you from even the worst scenarios. They also are fairly cheap and still good quality, with schooling helmets being around $30 to top-of-the-line show helmets coming in at $500.
Before I show you some of my favorite helmets, you should know a few things about helmet care and fitting. You need to measure around your forehead to see what kind of size you need, especially for helmets that do not have a dial fit. When you try a helmet on, make sure it stays on. It should cover part of your forehead. It should not be propped atop your head. It should not be down to your eyeballs, either. When you nod, the helmet should not change position on your head, front to back or side to side. Also make sure that if you do showing there's enough room to fit your hair inside the helmet! Also, never buy a used helmet. You don't know what condition it is really in or what wear it has. One other thing: Make sure the helmet is ASTM or SEI certified or both. These kinds of helmets are allowed in shows and are proven to be beneficial to your protection.
After you buy your helmet, make sure to take good care of it. Don't leave it in extreme temperatures because they can damage the integrity of the materials of the helmet. Also, if you fall off and hit your head, make sure to replace your helmet. After the first fall, their protection is no longer as beneficial. Lastly, make sure to replace your helmet every five years, as the materials do wear.
Now, for some of my favorite helmets.

Ovation Protege Helmet

The Ovation Protege is my current helmet. I absolutely love it. It comes in all different colors with the carbon design on the top - you can get darker, more traditional colors like black or navy or brighter colors like pink or light blue. It comes with a dial fit, and the helmet has Coolmax technology in the liner. The liner is also washable, and the snap on the helmet is designed to stay off of your face. It's got a trendy shape to it and fits well. It runs $35-$40 depending on where you look.

Charles Owen Jr8 Helmet

The Charles Owen Jr8 Helmet is a helmet that I have known many people to recommend for showing. It has a shape to it that will frame your face and the suede of the helmet will deter scuff marks from appearing. The helmet is versatile enough for the show ring or even for schooling. This helmet runs at about $150, which is a pretty good value for an excellent show helmet.

Troxel Spirit Helmet

Troxel Dakota Duratec Helmet

The Troxel Spirit Helmet is one of the most economical choices in riding helmets, running about $27. The visor is removable as well as the liners, which are washable. Sizing pads make it easier to adjust for those times where you put your hair up and when you don't. The helmet is about 10 oz., and comes in black or white.

Troxel Sierra Helmet

The Troxel Dakota Duratec Helmet was designed in mind for someone who wanted to trail ride. The visor is longer, making it easier to keep the sun out of your eyes. It comes in three rustic colors:  mojave, grizzly brown, and trail dust. It has seven vents that are mesh-covered, making it easy for the breeze to get inside your helmet. It weights 12.7 oz., and runs about $50.

Aegis Pony Schooling Helmet

 If you want your helmet to blend in with the rustic look of a western rider, I would suggest looking at the Troxel Sierra Helmet. This helmet has suede or distressed leather design with many air vents for ventilation. It is also very adjustable and weighs in at 15 oz. This helmet runs about $100.

The Aegis Pony Schooling Helmet was made for little kids who also want to ride! It has a dial fit and vents for air flow. The snap of the helmet can be unsnapped with one hand. This comes in cute little designs like tie-dye peace, blue with ponies, or purple with ponies. This helmet runs at $50. There is also a similar helmet for junior riders from Aegis.

There are also many more helmets available on the market, but I figured these helmets would fit most riders reading this blog, at use and affordability. Many big companies carry these helmets and more similar to them. With the varieties offered, I'd think there's a helmet for every kind of rider!

Click it or ticket (at least for seat belts!),
Kelsey