Back In The Saddle Again

J agreed to the horseback riding and we set the date and time for this particular event.  We are going to the Eagle Creek Ranch, (photo from their website) before we even check into the Enzian Inn. 

Several phone calls were made back and forth between us and the ranch to schedule a private ride.  Its a holiday weekend and they were pretty booked up already when we made our call. 

I haven't ridden a horse since I was 16 and J hasn't ridden in about 8 years.  Its not like we don't know how but it is more like we are rusty.

I rarely road with a saddle folks.  I rode bareback with reins.  I'm not sure about being able to handle the feel of a saddle under my butt.  J told the lady that I'd need a couch type horse.  Gee thanks J.  He meant it in a good way.  I need a sturdy, easy going, wide butted mount.  Because I'm prone to back troubles and last night it started up again I'll be needing that gentle mount.

Eagle Creek does have weight limits for its riders.  Rather daunting though I did get on the scale today and I'm still way under the max weight of 240 lbs, I'm not yet my ID card weight, though not far from it, and it scares me.  What if they take one look at me and say I'm too fat for their horses?  The lady we talked to said that if I look to be overweight they'll deny me a ride or cut short the private ride.  What if I'm not my 5'7" when I get there?  If my back is bothering me overly much then I do have a tendency to shrink up to 1.5 inches.  That would put in close to the other borderline weight for a person under 5'6".  Yes they have weight and height imposed limits, not just weight alone.  So its possible, though doubtful, that I just might get denied a mount.  Like I said I'm not that fat and unless I binge eat in the next two days I don't think I'll get denied.  Still.....

Look I realize that a saddle and tack weighs about 40 pounds but seriously I'm not that fat and I know horses can carry two people at a time for a few miles without blinking an eye.  Even J was scratching his head on that one.  He can't figure out why they'd set the weight limit so low either.  Maybe its their insurance?

"What are the age and weight limits for horseback riding?

Age six is the youngest we can take on a trail ride (our insurance doesn‘t allow double riding, nor do we consider it safe). If you’re over 18, we don’t ask your age! For most riders, our weight limit is 240#, although that should be adjusted down and up according to height/weight proportions. For persons under 5 foot six inches tall, the weight limit is 200#, to accommodate their horse height and saddle size requirements. About 10 pounds per inch of height added is a good guideline for what will work well above and below those limits.  For those about 6 feet in height or taller, we can sometimes extend the upper limit to 250#. If that still sounds limited, consider the U.S. cavalry used to have a weight limit of 140#!"

Friday we'll be on horseback by early afternoon for a 6 mile ride at a walking pace, I hope.  Gee I really hope he doesn't expect me to break into anything like a gallop.  Its been way too long for that sort of stuff.  At least they provide helmets in case I feel the need for one.  With my crummy balance I might need one and a pillow tied to my butt too so that when I land it hurts less.