Riding with Rachel

Rachel Fail started making model horse tack in 2008.

I wasn't aware of her until she started her blog several years later.

At first, I was like, "Who is this person, and how did she get so good so quickly?"

Then - in a social media kind of way - we became friends.

Trades were arranged.

Purchases were made.

I acquired a ridiculous amount of Rachel tack.

This is saddle, and the saddle stand it's sitting on, are my favorites.

In 2016, Rachel started making full scale tack. I ended up with some of that, too.

Two years later, she added a full scale horse to her family.

After that, the floodgates were open.

Here's her family earlier this year: four people and four horses.

Over the years, Rachel and I have maintained our long distance friendship, but where we used to talk about tiny horses and tiny tack, now it's all real horses all the time.

Every time she posted one of her fabulous ride pictures, I'd say, "I want to ride with you!" 

Every time she'd respond, "You're welcome here anytime."

I loved the sound of that, but I didn't expect it would ever happen.

In February, Rachel sent a message telling me that her family would be moving to California in June, and I was required to ride with her in the Buxton Woods before they left.

My first thought was, "Oh, that would be so much fun, but there's no way. My life is way too crazy right now. I can not."

Then I thought about it some more and realized A) my life is always going to be crazy, at least for the foreseeable future, and B) I really wanted to ride in the Buxton Woods with Rachel. I took a deep breath, reminded myself that life is short and booked my ticket.

Of course, in the time since then, my life has gotten exponentially crazier. The timing of this trip is terrible. I should be in California, helping my sisters move Mom into assisted living. Instead, I'm going to be riding on the beach in North Carolina. I feel incredibly guilty about that.

But also, I guess, not guilty enough to cancel the trip. My flight leaves in a couple hours. Ready or not, here I come!