Chewin The Cud - June 16, 2021

residences,” Rodriquez noted. To prepare for the long journey, Rodriquez worked his horses every day. “I live six miles out in the country and rode into town to get them in shape,” he said. The horses each got a new set of shoes before starting out, which the riders thought might get them to their destination. “However, we already had one horse lose a shoe in the mud. Heartland Horseshoeing School sent out a res- cue squad to get us back on the road,” Rodriquez said. “We might have to seek some local farrier assistance at some point on the journey.” With about 35 more days on the trail, the horsemen hope to complete their 1,000-mile ride by July 15. “A lot can happen between now and then,” Rodriquez admitted. “We don’t know our exact route, but we hope to travel some on the original Oregon Trail and the Pony Express route.” Upon reaching Mount Rushmore, they plan to tour the Black Hills, but then it’s a long ways back. “We aren’t going to ride our horses all the way home,” the riders agreed. “We have friends who are bringing a trailer to pick us up for the return trip.” “God has given us this lifetime opportunity. It’s so much fun, we might do it again,” they said.