From: HAROLD & ELAINE WILSON
September 12 - Tuskegee National Forest

To see the photos we took of the ride click on http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?c=k4qtmvb.aihojhmv&x=1&y=y6sjnb

We have been keeping Cortesia, a Peruvian Mare for our friend Suzi Grant since she moved to VA over a year ago. We were very glad when Suzi told us that she was coming back to Montgomery to visit her family. We immediately started planning a ride so she could ride her.

Suzi had rescued this mare when she was almost dead. The vet wouldn't even let her bath her right away because it might have been too much for her system. Suzi had never ridden her on a trail ride. We decided we would go to Tuskegee National Forest to ride so some of our friends from AlabamaTrailRider Group could join us.

Elaine has been riding Cortesia for about six months because Sassie has had some problems. We didn’t think Sassie was in shape for a 14 mile ride, and Rose Bufford said she didn't want to ride the entire trail either. So Rose agreed to meet us at the ponds and ride the last part of the trail. Lane could ride Sassie to the ponds and trailer her back to the trailhead.

We picked up Suzi in Montgomery and as we were approaching Tuskegee realized that the trailer in front of us was Pat Demerath. When we arrived, we found Mischelle Park relaxing next to her trailer waiting on us. We were soon saddled and riding in just about perfect conditions.

The morning was cooler, with a cloud cover. Lane was riding Sassie with a big smile on her face and said she was so happy to be riding her again. Suzi was so happy I thought she was going to cry. Pat and Mischelle were equally happy with their horses. And you all know how I feel about Little Man.

We rode about a third of the trail and came to the ponds. Rose was waiting for us (she really was there even though I did not get a single photo of her). We took a short lunch break before riding on.

As we were getting close to the trailhead we saw a man coming up behind us. We moved over to let him pass and realized it was Richard Chance, Lane's sister Fran's husband. Richard rode with us back to the trailhead. Richard and Fran had planned on going to Land Between the Lakes with us on Tuesday, but when we saw that Ivan was headed right for us, we all decided to stay home, in case we had damage.

When we got to the trailhead, Lane was waiting for us with Spring Water. Lane wanted to try out Rose's treeless saddle so we put it on Sassie and Lane and I rode down the trail for a while. She wanted me to experience the saddle so we swapped horses on the way back. I hadn't ridden Sassie for a long while and was really enjoying the ride when I heard Lane say "Wow, I have never ridden Little Man in a fast gait before, I like him". I was afraid I was about to lose my horse but she said no she still loved her horse. She was so happy to be riding her again.

While we were sitting around the trailhead talking, Lane said she was not in the mood to go home and cook. We got on the phone and checked out several places we knew where we could park several trucks and trailers and Rose told us of a place near-by that we could go to. So off we went to "Good Ol Boy's" (yes, that is the real name, that's why we figured it would be good) and ate catfish and steak. Great food, good friendship. Trail riding as we see it is not a ride in the woods until you are too tired to do anything else. Trail riding is a social event that includes riding a horse in the woods.

When I got up this morning, Sassie was waiting at the gate to be fed. She was full of energy and did not have the slightest hint of a limp or any leg problems. Hopefully, several months rest allowed whatever was wrong to heal. We’ll now start working her a little more every day to get her back in shape for longer rides.

I hope the hurricane is downgraded to just a tropical storm before it reaches us, and I hope it’s path is not as projected.

Yall be careful and stay safe. We hope to see you down the trails.

Harold and Lane