Kum Ba Yah, Domestic Saddle Violence and Smooth Legs

Two weeks ago, Autumn and I packed up our sleeping bags and headed down to Cueno Creek to go horse camping with Cindy and Syria.  Actually, I wish all we had to pack were our sleeping bags.  After making three car trips back and forth to Cindy's, I was finally loaded up. With the last, and most important thing stuffed into the trailer, Autumn, we were off.  We headed south for the two hour ride through some of the tallest and oldest redwoods left in the world.  We pulled into into the camp close to four and we emptied the trailer and set up camp. 



Roughing it.

 Cuneo Creek is the creme de la creme of horse camps.  Each campsite comes complete with corrals and running water.  There are areas to mount up easily on your horse...a great perk if you own Autumn.  After a long  ride you can take your horse to the specially made giant sand box for them to roll around in.  The riding trails roam for days through 350 foot tall redwoods, through creeks, mountain meadows, orchards and old homesteads. 
But, one of my most favorite things about the camp are the showers.  The big roomy showers that have hot water that never runs out.  Showers that aren't anything like my shower at home...the trailer shower.  The trailer shower is the length and width of two men's size 12 shoe boxes side by side. There is no sticking your elbows out when shampooing your hair in the trailer shower without taking out the wall.  Forget about shaving your legs with out being double jointed in there.  But when I'm at Cuneo Creek there is no doubt that I am the cleanest gal with the smoothest legs in camp. 

This trip wasn't all about having fun and smooth legs.  This was a trip where an important decision had to be made.  For the past three years I have been socking away money from odd jobs for my dream saddle.  All my great friends at the ranch chipped in and gave me a loving part of the cost as a Christmas gift and it took until this October to get the final amount.  I had the saddle, on a trial basis, for one week to decide if it fit Autumn and myself properly.  If it didn't fit Autumn right I could send it back as long as it didn't acquire any blemishes. 
Cindy and I decided to play it safe and ride the wider trails and through the mountain meadows to avoid any clawing branches.  The ride was going well, and the saddle seemed to fit  but I still wasn't sure until Autumn decided to make my decision for me.  It was a warm day with swarming bugs that Autumn swished at with her tail.  They seemed to really be getting her because she had to stop and stomp her feet to shake them off.   She drifted to the side of the trail and over a low bush to scratch her belly.  I figured that was okay, since it wasn't tall enough harm the saddle way up on her back.  But, when Autumn's legs began to buckle and she started dropping to the ground...well, that's when that bush got tall enough to beat the living hell out of the $1,300 unpaid for after three years of saving, saddle.  I kicked, yelled and swatted at Autumn but she wasn't listening.  Something clicked in my head, and myself yelled at me to abandon ship.  I dropped my stirrups and did the crappiest ninja roll over her neck and head and watched as Autumn rolled in ecstasy in a patch of poison oak in the new saddle.  When her itch was scratched and she was pleased with herself, she got up and shook it off. 
I was stunned.   I looked at Cindy and said "Well, I guess Autumn wants me to keep the saddle." 

The new saddle after Autumn domestically abused it.

Luckily,the saddle only had a few scrapes and bruises and it didn't want to press any charges after Autumn's assault. So, now I'm a proud owner of a dream saddle that happens to fit and it already has the first dent out of the way. 
The rest of the trip turned out to be awesome! 

Cindy and Syria

We rode over the river.....

Autumn drank the river



...and through the woods...

I guess we should say "rode under the woods".

To the showers we did ride.

Farewell, giant perfectly hot showers...until next time.  I will think of you often.

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