Weekend in Numbers

(idea for post format stolen from Steph at Hand Gallop)

This weekend was the trip of a lifetime, a 3-day trail riding trip through Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park, a beautiful and sacred area full of history and dramatic scenery. It was an eventful weekend to say the least, some good, some bad.

First ride on Friday, before the torrential rains started

The weekend in numbers:

75 - age of the oldest rider on the ride
56 - hours spent off-grid with no internet and no cell service - it was a nice break actually
50 - number of horses and riders on the trip
24 - hours that my phone spent at the bottom of the Milk River (but I found it!)
9 - age of youngest rider on the ride
8 - hours of riding
8 - oz of delicious Alberta steak we got for supper on Saturday
7 - loose horses I saw and helped catch on the weekend (3 after dumping their riders, 4 after they spooked and blew through the temporary fencing)
6 - alcoholic beverages consumed
5 - thunderstorms that hit us (so much rain!)
4 - river crossings (2 that were deep enough to reach the bottom of the saddle pad)
4 - mules on the ride
3 - groups who were tenting on the weekend (including me and my friend), everyone else had LQ trailers, motorhomes or other RVs
2 - people who fell off into the river
2 - huge leaps Kachina made through deep mud
1 - bruise and cut on my stomach from the horn on a particularly steep hill
1 - tack mishap whereby I found myself with no contact in the middle of a ride after my bridle broke and the bit was dangling completely out of Kachina's mouth! (baler twine to the rescue!)
1 - bestest horse who I got to ride all weekend - Kachina was a champ!
0 - number of times I fell off

Full recap and photos to come