Horse Trail Chicks

The Horse Trail Chicks have an annual tradition of spending a week or so with our good friends Elizabeth and Erin riding at the Horse Trails at Otter Creek in northern New York. We always book our cabin at least 12 months in advance. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we were not sure if we would be able to go this year. Rightfully so, businesses and lodgings were shut down, interstate travel was restricted, and quarantine measures were in place.

It was touch-and-go for a while, but then New York lodging establishments were allowed to restart operations. We would be required to quarantine for 14 days when we got back to Vermont. It would have been worth it, but luckily at the last minute the Governor of Vermont allowed travel to low-incidence counties without having to quarantine upon return. Since Otter Creek is in the boondocks, we were in the clear. In the meantime, the proprietor of the cabin emailed to say “we are open and we have toilet paper!”

If you read our blog regularly you know that Kerrie lost her beloved horse, Prophet, last spring. You might also know that this spring she got a new horse, Zydin (“Z”), a Cheval Canadien who is perfect for her and a perfect trail companion for my horse, Tupelo Honey. Unfortunately, just before the trip Z got injured and although he is expected to make a full recovery, Kerrie will be spending much of 2020 rehabbing him.

I was crushed because Kerrie is my best riding friend – she and I are, after all, the Horse Trail Chicks. The singular “Horse Trail Chick” is just not the same…, and having this happen just after her year-long wait for a new equine companion seemed so unfair.

Our friend, Suki, took Kerrie’s place for this year’s trip and the four of us headed out on a sunny Friday morning with 4 horses in tow. It’s a quick 15-minute drive to the ferry landing for the crossing of Lake Champlain.

We disembarked in Essex, New York and headed west. By mid-afternoon we had arrived at Horse Camps at Otter Creek and settled the horses in to their new digs.

As always, arriving there is such an exciting moment. The stresses of our everyday lives melt away, we know that this home for the next week and, at least for now, and we get to just be with our friends and our horses and think about nothing else.

I am an Infection Preventionist at the University of Vermont Medical Center, so you can imagine that I needed a break. The last 4 months had been the most challenging of my career. During that time, the rare moments I had with my horse were the only times I could fully disconnect from the pandemic. So, the idea of spending a week in the woods with my horse and my friends was the most delicious thing I could imagine.

The week did not disappoint. The trails at Otter Creek are spectacular because they are built for horses (thanks to the State of New York), unbelievably well-maintained (thanks to the Friends of Otter Creek), have perfect footing, and are not crowded.

Here is a video of our trip.

And some photos.

Happy Trails!

Monica