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The most exciting news of the month, in my humble outdoors-woman opinion, is the arrival of spring! Cold winter rains have given way to milder spring rains! Frozen mud has given way to regular mud! And with all the rain that the Pacific coast has had this year, the wildflowers are expected to be fabulous once they get blooming in full force.
Apollo and I are now on month three of the ride and have settled into our routine. Up with the sun, breakfast and packing up, travel until late afternoon, dinner and rest. With routine comes comfort for the travelling horse (and to some extent, myself), where every day brings new sights, feed, and shelter. Horses, as prey animals, need to feel safe and protected in order to eat and sleep well. The routine helps provide some sense of security for Apollo even in unfamiliar settings.
Apollo is also gaining trust in me, which further helps his level of comfort on the road and at night. He has overcome most of his fears of certain things we encounter on the road, such as semis, overpasses, and trains. New experiences like strollers and wheelchairs haven't even phased him this month. And even in situations where he has been nervous, he has remained steady and looked to me for guidance (instead of panicking or trying to flee).
One of the highlights of the last month's travels was visiting with the staff and volunteers at Henderson House in McMinnville Oregon. These gracious, loving women are committed to helping the victims of domestic violence in their region, and it was a treat to spend some time discussing the challenges and joys we all have dealt with in helping others and in raising awareness of the issue.
And last but certainly not least, thanks to the help from you all, my wonderful readers, I have had a much easier time finding places to stop each night. Keep up the good work! Please continue to follow my progress on Facebook, and let all your family and friends know about my ride. We don't need anywhere fancy, and appreciate any safe place to rest for a night!
Until next time,
Happy trails from Meredith and Apollo
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