Conversation and chatter quieted and soon stopped. A few horses shifted their weight; you could hear their hooves on the soft earth below. One horse fluttered the last air of tension out his nostrils. The full moon above allowed only the brightest stars to shine in the clear night sky, but allowed us the view for miles across the rolling golden hills of central California.
Closing my eyes, I listened to the quiet. No airplanes, no cars, no people. Inhaling the sweet cool air, the last of my tension slipped away, as well.
We were here in this place at the invitation of our host, Jack Varian. During dinner, he'd asked the group, "How about a moonlight ride?"
I thought that was pretty sporty of him, seeing as how the 50 of us had just arrived at the V6 Ride in Parkfield, California. Most guests had trailered their own horses to camp. Jack's wife, Zee, had brought 13 of their ranch horses for visitors who couldn't bring their own.
Gathering in the shadows of the oak trees at 9:00 p.m., we'd ridden down the dry creek bed, then up to the top of a hill, where Jack had suggested we stop - and listen - to the quiet. I tell you, it was almost religious.
The ride was organized through the Arabian Horse Association. All sorts of horses and people had signed up. Show horses, endurance horses, and backyard horses - young and old, feisty and calm.
I'd been recruited a few days before to help out the family. At the V6 Ranch, you're not hustled around by a bunch of employees; it's all family run. They needed an extra hand, and I had a pretty strong hunch this would be good fun.
Riding & Roping
Thursday morning, we rode out en masse. As we climbed hills and crossed creeks, we got to know each other and enjoyed the warm day. Early in the ride, a few of the horses jumped around a bit, but soon settled in. I discovered that some of the horses - and riders, too - had never been up a hill or ridden out across country.
Back at the barn, we enjoyed a delicious lunch. In the afternoon, participants could either rest, take a short ride with Zee, or rope a fake calf "running" behind an ATV, its back legs loping exactly like a calf's would.
Just prior to the afternoon activities, Jack's cousin, Sheila Varian - the renowned Arabian Horse breeder, Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame inductee, and all-around great lady - presented the group with a clinic on opening a gate. This seemingly simple task, if done correctly, can teach you to master complete control and communication with your horse. There was total silence as we all focused on every word Sheila said. When the lesson was over, people worked silently on small precision moves.
Then the afternoon ride with Zee headed north, and a few of us opted for roping. We were all shown up by the 11-year-old Varian grandkid, Brennan. Dogs and kids and family milling about just outside the pen, much ado was made over catches and misses. Falling into the ribbing that a good family gives each other, we kept at it until the shadows grew long and it was time for our horses to eat their dinners.
Around the campfire that night, I heard a number of people talking about Zee's coaching ability. They might not have known that Zee is a true horsewoman and horse-show champion. She's trained most of the horses on the ranch, as well as a slew of award-winning kids.
