Aw Hail No.

I love storms. Everything about them is comforting to me. I love curling up on the couch and just listening to the rain fall as I watch the lightning crackle across the sky. Even sitting in the barn, with the barn cat curled up on my lap as we sit on the hard concrete floor after a long day of working on the ranch and watch the rain drip down the front of the barn opening just listening to the rain fall and horses nicker. I love storms. Okay actually, correction…. I USED to love storms.

July 11, 2020. It was our first day ever offering evening rides at the ranch. About 10 minutes into the 5:30 ride, it started lightly drizzling. No biggie, right? A little rain never hurt anybody! We finish the ride, absolutely soaked to the bone but with a smile on our faces. Both Noelle (the other guide) and I were certain the last ride would call and cancel and we would just untack for the day. Then, right on time, the 7:00 ride rolls up for check-in. They were a super cool couple who were down for a ride in the rain if the guides were! Of course, we were! We put the couple on good ‘ole Dallas and Faith (my personal favorites), and we were off to the races! We headed out to the trails the back way because it was a little safer mud-wise. About 15 minutes into the ride, we had just gotten to a point in the trail we refer to as the Boy Scout Bathrooms when HUGE chunks of hail started falling from the sky. Huge. Like I can’t even properly explain to you how massive these ice balls were. I looked behind me and watched the hail bounce off of the guy’s head like a basketball. (He was, unfortunately for him, bald). I caught a few big chunks on my head myself and honestly thought I was going to pass out for a second, seeing stars swim in front of my eyes. After some quick thinking and a wordless conversation on the guide’s part, Noelle and I swung off of our guide horses and grabbed onto Faith and Dallas before they could turn and bolt back to the safety of the barn. We led both our horses and Faith and Dallas under a tree, where we helped the riders off and pointed them in the direction of a teepee that would offer shelter so they could wait out the storm. Needless to say, that was an eventful ride!