Want to Come Ride With Me? August, in Idaho!

The countdown's underway for my favorite area horse event--the 11th annual Apalousey All-Breed Trail Ride and Dutch Oven Dinner, August 8-10 at George Hatley's ranch outside of Deary, Idaho. (Same site as the horse-driving event I recently posted on--it's about 25 miles east of Moscow, Idaho.) This is a benefit for the Appaloosa Museum & Heritage Center, and I set aside vacation time every year in order to attend as a rider and volunteer.

Yesterday, I had the chance to tape a segment about the ride for an area TV station. As I told the on-air host, there are three ways to participate:

* As a rider. Bring your horse, put him up in one of the permanent pipe corrals at the site, and set up a camp for yourself on the beautifully wooded grounds. Saturday's ride is about 5 hours long, plus a lunch stop, and Sunday's after-breakfast ride is a little over 2 hours. Terrain is a mix of forest and meadows, and not too difficult for a young, old, or green horse.

* As a non-riding camper. A number of attendees come just to spend a relaxing weekend in their tents or campers, and to chow down on the fabulous Dutch oven dinner hosted by the museum's board of directors and friends. This is outdoor cooking, at its finest, and each cook tries his or her best to make sure you don't go hungry.

* As a Saturday-night dinner guest only. The meal is preceded by wagon rides behind George's team of Belgians, and augmented by a silent auction for all kinds of fun and useful stuff.

Sure would love to see you, and ride with you if possible. For further info, call the museum staff at 208-882-5578, ext. 279. Tell 'em I sent you!