Getting Ready For The Eastern Shore Trail Ride
A few weeks ago a friend and I dropped in on the spring Eastern Shore Trail ride to speak to a few of the folks who had come out for that Ride. I was interested in learning where the riders were coming from and in taking a peek into a couple of the live-in horse trailers ( when I say “live-in” I don’t mean just for the horses, I mean for the owners !) At any rate, when we arrived most of area was already set up, trailers parked, horses happily munching away on what I’m assuming were tasty chunks of hay, etc. I’m not sure just how many people or horses were there that afternoon but the official Eastern Shore Trail Ride web page (www.easternshoretrailride.com) indicates that the Rides are limited as to the number of participants, with only 250 previously registered horses and riders allowed.
On The Trail, A Very Comfy “Home Away From Home” For Both Horses And Riders
One of our first stops was at the handsome trailer of some folks from up near Farmville, VA, about 3 hours away, who were just settling down with several friends to prepare what smelled like a scrumptious dinner. They were kind enough to invite us to take a peek inside– surprisingly roomy, with a bunk over the hitch area, cute kitchen with a little stove and microwave, built-in table with a window, a bathroom that included a shower with skylight plus a satellite dish on the roof, nearly all the comforts of home. And the horse’s digs were great too ! After our peek into their “home away from home” they were kind enough to then introduce us to a nearby friend, a nice fellow in a 10 gallon Stetson, hailing from from the mid- part of Virginia, sitting on a robust 16 hand horse ( showing my age again, but he really reminded me of Hoss from Ponderosa ) who had a unique wedding last November … he and his bride, a veterinarian who has more than 20 horses, were actually married in the saddle ! Definitely wishing Happy Trails to them !
All the way from N.J., Grilling Corn, Potatoes, Shrimp And Steak On The BBQ
Walking on down the line, we met 2 couples who had driven all the way from New Jersey to participate in this Ride, their first time to come to the Shore. I was curious and when I inquired as to why they would drive so far to ride their horses, they indicated that they were really interested in seeing Virginia’s Eastern Shore and that the prospect of being able to ride their horses along a private beach was most intriguing to them. ( Lots of info on the trails, etc. plus an application to attend can be found on the official Eastern Shore Trail Ride website. ) They too were just beginning to cook an aromatic meal over the fire, corn on the cob and baked potatoes wrapped in foil already cooking, with shrimp and steaks primed to pop on the grill, a great trail dinner for sure. Walking back towards the car, we passed a sort of “saddlery on wheels”, with all kinds of items that might be needed by the riders on the spur of the moment, doing a brisk business, everybody laughing and talking in anticipation of the big ride the following morning. It all seemed like a lot of fun to me and clearly the folks who were participating were looking forward to some happy times on the trail. And all for a good cause as the proceeds benefit Northampton County Fire and Rescue Company 16.
(Posted by Marlene Cree, licensed Virginia agent with Blue Heron Realty Co., 7134 Wilsonia Neck Dr., Machipongo, VA)