Rebecca Farm or Bust!!!!

How things change with a blink of an eye! Yes, that's basically what happened with our plans.

I would first like to say that I'm happy to be the entertainment of anyone who reads this blog. Get a drink....sit back....and enjoy!

Anyone who travels, goes to horse shows or is involved with horses, knows that there is never a dull moment. You would think that being a upper level event rider my life would be full of excitement, and honestly it is......but for some reason God has a sense of humor and likes to laugh a lot.

Where do I start?!

The plans of going to Rebecca Farms have been getting developed over months of preparation. Rebecca Farm is a destination event for NLE and usually everyone on the team try's to attend this special event along with incorporating some vacation time. There are so many things at Rebecca Farm that make this event so worth while no matter what chaos happens on the way.

I am grateful and very lucky to be a recipient of the Rebecca Broussard Travel Grant. This helps contribute to traveling to Rebecca Farm and becoming eligible for the International Grant to be announced in December. This program is instrumental in developing up and coming riders. I feel like the Broussard Family has not only helped the USET put more riders in the pool to help the future of Eventing with this grant but also with the high caliber event they produce at Rebecca Farm.

We started off wanting to have a family outing up in Montana.....so my family will all be coming to Rebecca Farm.

The last 3 years we have travelled to Caber Farm while in route to Montana and spent a few days getting aquatinted with the turf and of course enjoying John and his team.

Our plans were to leave this past Saturday to Twin Rivers. Compete at Twin Rivers one-day with everyone and then head up to Caber Farm arriving on Monday. We would stay until this coming Saturday and then head onto Rebecca Farm in Montana.

Dave had everything ready to go with the truck and trailer.......I was loaded to the ceiling with our dog "Diesel" in the passenger seat. Gave a kiss to the kids and Dave and was planning on picking them up from Portland Airport on the 4th (the 4th is today). This all sounded like the best plan ever......we had 12 horses traveling from California and another 10 or so meeting us in Montana.
Until........
I put the truck in reverse and I knew something wasn't right. I called Dave and knew that it couldn't have been what Dave was saying over the phone. I heard the words...."it sounds like the transmission". How is this possible?!!! Val's transmission is in the shop getting rebuilt, how could we have 2 trucks break before we even leave?!!!
All I could think of was......"at least were still home.....were not stranded in the middle of nowhere with a trailer full of horses!"

The chaos would continue.......
We decided that since we were planning on buying a new truck next year, maybe we needed to put the $ we would spend on a new transmission into a new truck. Sounds like a reasonable enough explanation and solution.....right?! Ok so problem solved! That's where this entire situation becomes comical. I say that because if I don't laugh then I will drive myself off a cliff.

We get the new truck. Get a good price on it.....and end up with more than we wanted so life is good. Mufflers West installs my trailer hitch the next day and were back on schedule. What's a trip without a little bump in the road........
The trailer gets hooked up and off we go to my house to make sure everything is running properly.
Now back to that "bump in the road".
I get home, after feeling like my trailer brakes locked up a bit....maybe had a bump in the road and as Dave is helping me back up into the driveway he says..."where is the side ramp?" What!? Side ramp? WTH are you talking about?!
I get out of the truck and my side ramp has been obviously ripped off my trailer. I look at Dave and start to laugh....like a psycho. Defiantly not a laugh from humor. A laugh that is like Jack Nicholson from the movie "The Shinning!"

So after consulting Facebook.....(gotta love modern technology) I have several friends that offer contacts of where to go......who then gets me in touch with the best little aluminum welder ever! "Kenny"!
Kenny has saved the day! He gets my trailer......and in one day, repairs the impossible and remounts my trailer ramp.
He charged us $800. Dave gave him $900 in cash and a 30 pack of Bud Lite. I gave him the biggest hug and just when we thought everything in the world was right.......the new Dodge integrated trailer braking system is not capable with my Electric over Hydraulic braking system on my trailer.
No fear....Tamie the master of problem solving is here!
I called down to the dealer, spoke to the Sales Manager, Darren and he said we could come down and take out the braking system from our old truck.
So I head to the barn with trailer in tow to ride everyone, teach everyone and pray that Dave and Tim can miraculously install the old brake unit into our new Dodge and of course that it goes smoothly!
We are now onto Plan D and with the attitude "Rebecca Farm or Bust!"

Stay tuned we haven't even left Temecula yet...........