That first night~

I stood out in the rain with the horses till sun down.  I wanted to make sure they were comfortable, wanted to watch for any issues they may want to get into.  I got out there PM feedings got them taken care of and set to boil water for my dinner.

Your basic freeze dried dinner. I choose my worst choice for that first night, knowing I would want something better and better as time went on the road.

Pasta premivera ? sp   was that first freeze dried meal.  I boiled water in the open with no issues due to such warm weather.  didn't even take a full fuel cell.  I boiled enough for one dinner, (almost 2 cups of water) and enough left over to warm my morning coffee from home... that last good pressed stuff! and the strong tea I had made for this very reason.

I let the meal sit for its 8-10 minutes lit my candle lantern, and set in to write all this out long hand.  And that is exactly what I did.  BUT I will say with all the salt in those freeze dried packets I drank more water than I have ever craved, and got up 6 times to "excuse myself" in the rain!  Of course I am sure I bothered the kids each time I exited the tent.

I had left reflectors on the kids, (their legs) and his nose,  along with one bell on each horse for my light sleeping and wanting to know how they were moving about. ( and if something came around and alarmed them ) something besides their snorting would get my attention.

I got up and down, up and down all night, finally re-reading my earlier long hand, enjoying the re-cap and settling back down.  I had carried a shake up flash light for just such times, so not to waste my batteries or my storm matches.

When I did finally get up and fed the kids in the dark about 6-6:30 I gave them their early AM rations I started packing up all my gear... You know getting the air out of the sleeping bag, the air pad, figuring out the balance on Navarre's packs so one was not heavier than the other.  Moving things for the top middle pack so it was more EMPTY in the middle... as this was the issue with my tent and emergency canvas shelter for them.  They just didn't have enough of a well to sit in on top of the second layer but under the rain cover layer.  bla blah blah... Its all a puzzle but SO important.  While doing so I made myself a bowl of oats, coffee, and a cup of tea for later in the day.

Just as I figured it all out the sun was up enough I could turn off the headlamp and go check on the kids.  I knew the tent was still EXTREMELY wet but it wasn't raining.  As soon as I opened the tent flap I could barely see the fog was so thick.  So I figured I was going to have to wait on the fog, I went to check out the horses, Sweet Pea acted like she was trying to sleep Navarre only wanted more food, playing with every zipper tag I had extended (for better glove grip)  on my jacket.  I left them alone because brushing them in this weather was going to do no good except to make them more wet.    So I went back in did some texting... and the bell started ringing... ????

Sweet Pea was shaking,  So I blanketed her and she stopped...
As the fog got a little better, I could at least see to the highway I started working on Navarre... he does after all take a lot more time with all that hair... the bell started again... I loved on her she still felt warm to the touch... Then the hind left leg started kicking...  So I took off the reflector and gave her a rub down from hip to ankle... she settled for a while as I worked on Navarre again...   Then the kicking of her stomach, the stretching of her entire body, the lower neck stretch with her mouth open as if she needed to burp (horses can't burp) I untied her to see what she would do.    Navarre got all agitated all of a sudden....and DOWN she goes... OH no you don't!  I got her to stop called everyone! Come get me I can't do this! SP is sick... come NOW!

I get her eased up a little, walk her down the hill and back up.  Navarre is all separation anxiety...type of craze.  Mel is out exercising... Jerry ? is worried as am I  I get the blanket off SP is REALLY look her over and she is sharply distended and shallow breathing... Walk Walk Walk.. So I walk both the kids as we wait I take ONE arm load of supplies to the end of the drive each time we go.. I knew the truck and trailer would never make it up the hill in the mud... AND there was no where to turn it around.   I asked Jerry to follow Mel in my car for my gear so not to delay the horse care with my personal issues of supplies.  I got their hay, one bag of food ( theirs and mine) and my emergency supplies to the end of the drive so 6 trips in total as we waited.  I still had 4 more days of food... my tent set up and my back pack, riding coat, warm layer, sheep skin, and all of Sweet Peas gear to get down the hill.    blah blah blah...

All in all with in an hour Melanie and Jerry were there and we had the kids at the vet!   We were at the vet till after 5pm working on Sweet Pea and getting her in a stable state.  I was lucky he was so close. I was lucky I could take her home.

So with dehydration, distended gut, no poop ( in reserve) only mucus , high temperature, and no gut sounds on the left... we were lucky!   DONE.... but lucky all the same.

It's Monday as I type this and I am do depressed, but I'm lucky I had most of this written out long hand, otherwise I would have been over whelmed by all the maps, prepared horse feed, re-supplies,  and everything that I was not suppose to see again till Friday.

I woke up several times in the night crying... and still have a hard time holding it in, BUT... it is what it is and I'm going to figure out something better, and try it again.  I'm not one to give up so easily... but to not be out 24 hours and have to stop!  That sucks to put it nicely!

Even though I was up (what felt like a hundred times) and down that first night, hard to get back into my bivy with out pushing something out of its place... I was enjoying every minute of it.  I enjoyed everything I learned that first day, that first night.  and yes I want to do it all again...

This entire situation is life... and as my mother is likely tired of hearing it... I always say.... Life Happens.

Life does happen, the good, the bad and the ugly.  This is crushing to me today, but as with every life change I'll get over it, work around it and figure out something a little more conducive to Sweet Pea but fulfilling for me.  What is so strange is... I've camped off her for a week with no issues... I've taken her to GA, TN, KY and even short little one day 50 mile races.  What was so different for her this time I have not settled enough to figure out.  I'll just have to do more with them to figure it out and work around what ever I find.  It was the first time I did it with both, but truly... as I steal a quote from a friend... I thought Navarre was my ticking time bomb.    ( it's a daily life issue with him, another story all together)