Still, she was into what Billie Browning called that "strutty stuff." The white socks on the 12 year old Tennessee Walking mare were showing a lot of action as the black horse pranced toward the beach. My husband stayed close on the sorrel gelding as we approached the ocean. We were both in our 60's and retired, but we rode real horses.

Sara Copley and her sister Billie were riding the two high-stepping silver walking horses ahead of us. All four horses turned into the deep sand close to the dunes. It was difficult walking for the horses as they sank down into the sand. Every horse became scout horses and kept a watchful eye on the capping waves and evaded the unpredictable white foam darting first toward them and then rushing away.

The beautiful sorrel with the flaxen mane and tail rolled his eyes and snorted at the sound of the crashing waves. He was determined that he was not getting anywhere near that strange sea. As he twisted and turned, my mare also spun around and darted this way and that. My mare is at the peak of my ability to ride. Sara caught a video with Teege rearing with me.

This unnerved me and I struggled to keep her still. I could feel her high energy raging within her. I was wearing my new riding helmet for the first time and I was concerned that it might be an irritation. It was extremely comfortable and I promptly forgot that I was wearing it.

We rode up the beach and under the pier without incident, to my surprise. Greg Agee, Sara's friend from home, cautioned us to keep a lookout for dipping kites, piers, bicycles etc. The kites were not out today. When we came to the sluice, it appeared to be too deep to cross easily with the tide in, so we turned and rode back down the beach.

"If the sharks want my black horse that Johnny is bringing, they can have it," Sara said, "Now if they try to get Little Silver, that shark is going to have a fight on his hands."

"No shark will ever get Dusty," Eddie said as he tried in vain to move the gelding closer to the waves.

Billie took interest in getting Scooter close to the water. The young mare was cautious but mildly agreeable.

"Look here, Sara!" her sister called as the mare got her feet wet. Soon Sara had Little Silver also near the water's edge.

I had every intention to let Teege take her time getting acquainted with the sea. She held close to the deep sand to avoid the foam. That caused her to soon be dripping with sweat even though the temperature was in the 40's this November day.

Dusty was the same. Between the new experience of the beach and their stress about it, they were lathered up.

Teege's energy exhausted me and I decided that was enough for the first day. Eddie reluctantly rode back to the trailer with me, even though I encouraged him to continue. Sara and Billie proceeded with their adventure down the shore.

As we approached the horse trailer parking lot at the Myrtle Beach State Park, we saw Connie and Johnny Hundley with their horses. They had just arrived from West Virginia and they unloaded the two mares. The couple saddled up and rode the sandy road down to the beach. Eventually they ran into both of her sisters, Sara and Billie, and they all came back to the park together.

Connie returned to camp and couldn't wipe the smile off her face.  Finally she admitted, "We were coming down the beach and I opened her up!"

Annabelle was most likely the fastest thing on the beach. Connie had take the little black standardbred mare from her husband. One trip to Birdsong, Tennessee, and Johnny was out looking for him another horse.

When we got back to the barn it was a round of washing horses. It was a real bonus to have hot running water. After lots of suds, cream rinse and showering, the horses were blanketed and put in their stalls.

That night we all went out hunting dinner. After an hour tour of the Myrtle Beach area, we settled down into an Outback for steak. Back to the condo for a few rounds of gin rummy.

On Thanksgiving Day we were all anxious to return to the beach to Ride. Greg Agee and his daughter, Whitney, rode the big black gelding who waded out in the water like he had been there all of his life. April, Greg's sister-in-law, rode the walkaloose mare, Dolly, down the beach.

Bum was a big, high lick that he used to exhibit in the show ring. He still strokes with a light shoe. The big, black gelding strode right through the deep sluice without hesitation. Sara put the Silver Design gelding across even though it was way up on his hips. Billie and the little gray Generator mare followed through. Greg returned to get Dolly to follow.

Connie took her pretty little black mare to the water, but Annabelle side stepped and made a quick circle. Johnny could not get his mare near the sea and neither could Eddie get Dusty close to it. I didn't even try. Teege was probably much braver than I was.

I remember the Greenbrier River where she fell and her entire head and neck went beneath the water up to my horn bags. Now I am a little gun shy.

The Hundleys and the Adkins turned back and the other riders continued down the beach. At one point Eddie tried to get the sorrel out into the water and the gelding would turn and do the old side pass back into the deeper sand, sometimes scooting Teege back on the dunes.

Finally Eddie got off and tried to lead the horse to the ocean. Poor Dusty, who wasn't afraid of anything in the woods or creek trails, stood with the whites of his eyes wide and rolling. All four of his legs were visibly trembling. It was extraordinary to see this great big, brave horse turn to mush.

"Don't worry about it, Eddie. He'll get used to it. Let him take his time," I urged my impatient husband.

"He'll never get used to it," Eddie insisted firmly, "We won't be here long enough."

We all rode back past the Park road and went in to rest a little while.

After tying up the horses, we got some pop out of the ice chests. (Soda to you Yankees) We walked over to Johnny and Connie's horse trailer and found them sitting on the running board eating viennies and dill pickles!

"That looks good. Let's see what I can find," I said as I turned back to the Sundowner. Since we were staying in the condo, I didn't pack for food, but there is always something in the cabinet and refrigerator.

Soon I returned with two bowls of cottage cheese and peaches. Eddie and I sat down with our friends and we all had as happy a Thanksgiving dinner as anybody in town.

"Well, I'm not done riding are you?" Johnny announced after we had finished eating. "Let's ride up the beach."

"Do you want to go, Melani?" Eddie asked.

"Yeah. Let's go too," I replied.

Soon we were mounted and riding toward the north pier. Teege didn't even slow down as she gaited under the pier. Every now and then one of us would attempt to get the horses down to the water. Connie flashed a bright smile when Annabelle did the best.

When we came to a shallow sluice, I rode Teege around in the sand and came back across the water to the other horses. Dusty didn't want anything to do with the water.

We finally got past that and came to a deep crossing. Teege and Annabelle would almost go through. Johnny's mare would run sideways and circle around behind another horse, as if for protection. The mare was young and had not been ridden very much.

As we sat there, several horses were coming at us down the beach. When they got to the water they cheerfully splashed through without hesitation as the riders laughed.

Teege watched the horses splash through and she apparently decided if they could, she could. When I directed her over to it, she went through easily. Connie got Annabelle through.

"Are you going through?" one man asked Eddie.

"I don't know if we can get them through or not. They never saw the ocean before and they don't like it."

"Ours were the same way this morning. Come on, we'll ride through with you," the friendly older man said.

The riders put a horse on each side of Dusty and they rode abreast across. Dusty went through the deep water as easily as the horses with him. Another rider got beside Johnny's mare and they came across. We were all safely on the the other side and those helpful riders had made it easy for us and our horses. We must remember to pass that trick on if we find the opportunity.