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We thought you might like this recap of a trail ride at Boulder Valley Ranch! We hope you enjoy it, and thanks fro sharing! Linda P Submitted by Teresa Chuck, As I recall the highlight of the day, a number of images keep recurring in my “minds eye”.  My attempts to explain the “incident” to others got me thinkin’ about exactly how it all went down.  So, here’s a few thought on what I experienced from my perspective. Of course this could be, and is most certainly, a very different experience from your perspective. …The chance to finally ride with my friend Chuck emerged.  The upcoming departure of Tina loomed on the horizon. “We have to get at least one ride in with Chuck before you leave town”.  “YES” What’s the Colorado weather look like, lets find out when, where, what.  Yey, “Lets do it.  On our way.” What a lovely start to a ride. We were all ready for a horse outing.  Hugs, kisses, hello’s, how are ya’s, blah, blah, blah.  Then,  off we go to do the Boulder Valley Loop. Horses are fresh, riders are happy, Life is Good. Obstacle 1:  Water crossing. Okay, so its a somewhat steep bank down/up with water in the middle. Beau, our fearless leader with his most confident rider proceeds to cross over.  With two feet in and two to go, Tina says…”we have a problem here” as Beau sinks up to/past his knees in mud sucking conditions. But alas, trusty Beau asses the situation, gives it a heave, then up and forward and scales the bank to the topside.  One

From the Denver Post – Sept 24, 2013 ESTES PARK, Colo. – It’s an amazing, but little known September storm rescue story. A draft horse mired in a mudslide at an Estes Park resort was rescued by an excavator operator who “very gently” used a big metal bucket to scoop up the mud and the horse and move it to solid ground. The rescue happened on Sunday, Sept. 15, after torrential rains that unleashed flooding caused a massive mudslide that engulfed parts of the horse stables and parking lot at Aspen Lodge Resort & Spa on Highway 7, employee Kristina Naldjian told 7NEWS. Some parked cars were buried in a several feet of mud. There were 25 horses in the stable area and all were unharmed, except for Rosie, a draft horse who became mired in several feet of watery mud. Employees tried unsuccessfully to help free the exhausted horse, which was buried up to its hips in mud, Naldjian said. “Rosie was basically giving up, she was a goner,” Naldjian said. “The mud was very deep and she totally was sucked into it.” Fortunately, an excavator operator was working on the lodge grounds, removing debris clogging Beaver Lake, to prevent the lake dam from failing and flooding the area, Naldjian said. The heavy equipment operator, Dan Crane, extended the excavator boom and used the steel bucket to scoop up the mud under the horse, lifting Rosie with it, Naldjian said. “He very gently reached over with the crane and pulled (the horse) up with the