Wisconsin couple has logged 52 riding trips since 1978

Traveling home from a two month equine riding trip brings many thoughts and memorable experiences to mind.

The latest journey makes it our eighth trip to Arizona. Having to travel through the states of Arizona, New Mexico,Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Iowa back to our farm in Prairie du Chien, WI, gives us plenty of time to reminisce about our equine recreational riding trips.

After making 52 trips since 1978, we have noticed major changes in horse trailers, quality of horse's ridden and major increases in the number of people from all over the USA and Canada. In the last two months, we have ridden with folks from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Texas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho, and Washington.

We have also observed that many folks are like Rodney and me, those who used to show and compete with our AQHA horses and now prefer to do more riding and less waiting for classes in shows.

Generally we ride 3 to 4 hours every day, and many times our rides are much longer because lots of trails have loops that take longer. On out trips, we also take young CR horses who need hauling, riding and training experiences. With our eight Arizona trips, we have taken different young horses every year.

When we get home, we will have traveled over 36,000 miles, unloaded and loaded, and saddled innumerable times, all the while enjoying ourselves. We also believe that our horses also enjoy the special times that we spend with them.

In my last article I wrote about visiting the Apache Junction area and taking rides in Superstition Mountains and Tonto National Forest. We have also ridden in Sedona, AZ, in the Red Rock Country. Every trail has awesome vistas to see and paths to ride. Some of those may even present challenging, rocky and steep terrain with unknown scenery to view.

If you have ever ridden with us, Rodney believes in taking the "Paths least traveled". Until our trails cross again, Charlene. 
CHARLENE BOOM