Monday, April 6, 2009

The Trail of Billy's Last Ride

I subscribe to a magazine called Trail Rider which contains tons of information about trail riding with horses.  This is the magazine that I am the most eager to get each month in the mail.  They usually feature a few different places to trail ride each month complete with descriptions and pictures.  

In the April 2009 issue they profiled an organized ride that I would love to attend.  It is called The Trail of Billy's Last Ride and it follows the trail that Billy the Kid took when he broke out of the jail in Lincoln County, New Mexico and ran to Fort Sumner where he was shot dead by Sheriff Pat Garrett three months later.  It crosses some pretty wide open country in eastern New Mexico.  Over the course of seven days you ride 125 miles and can take your own horse or rent one from the ride organizers.  This just sounds like a really cool way to spend a week!  Just as a side note I am in no way affiliated with anyone who puts on the ride, this isn't an ad, just something I have been thinking about lately.  

About a year or so ago, I decided that I wanted to at some point in my life, ride a horse in all 50 states and try and ride my own horse in the lower 48 states.  I have no idea if I will accomplish this goal but this ride would put me one more state down!  Just in case you are curious, I have ridden a horse in Maine, Alabama, Colorado, Wyoming and Texas and have ridden my own horse in just Maine and Wyoming.  Two down, 46 to go!  Since Rosie won't be two for a couple of weeks she hasn't been a party to any of my rides yet.  But she will be!  I have big plans for her spotted butt! 

I would also at some point like to do the Chief Joseph ride that the Appaloosa Club does every year.  Owning a registered Appaloosa has made more aware of the heritage of the breed and since I am a history buff the whole thing just sounds really cool.  My ideal would be to ride the entire length of the Chief Joseph ride which is 1,350 miles total.  Each year the ride covers a different 100 mile section of the 1,350 miles of trail. 

Anyone else have favorite rides that they do every year?  A ride you would love to go on?  I have many other rides I would like to do and this is just a small sampling of them.

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