Page 130 - South Mississippi Living - September, 2019

giddy up
presented by South Mississippi Living magazine
Front row, from left, Kathy Wilkinson, Lee Bruni, Jeannie Scarborough, Rose Lee Burwell, Francine Janes and Sparkie Spell. Back row, from left, Marley Middleton, Melody Kibler, Clare Hanson, Tonia Miller, Rhonda Myrick, Jasmine Richards, Judy Haller and Susie Hough.
TRAILGRAZ-
story by
Lauren Rackley
t T ag
photos by James Edward Bates RIDING GROUP CELEBRATES 20 YEARS
’s been 20 years, but the TrailGrazHers aren’t slowing down anytime soon. Founded by onia Miller and Rhonda Myrick, the TrailGrazHers are a group of cowgirls, ranging in
es 8 to 73, who share their love of horses on weekly rides and annual trips.
TrailGrazHers horseback riding group members at the Big Foot Trail in the DeSoto National Forest.
What began as a friendly conversation between two strangers about their passion for riding horses, quickly blossomed into a community of women riders. “Little did Rhonda or I know at the time, this conversation would lead to an amazing group of ladies sharing our love of horses and our lives together over the next 20 years,” Miller said.
While the TrailGrazHers typically meet every Tuesday, one of their annual rides includes a two-week pilgrimage along the Dixie National Wagon Trail. The women begin their journey in Benndale and ride to Jackson for the start of the Dixie National Rodeo.
The all woman caravan is led by authentic wooden wheeled wagons and followed by horseback riders, otherwise known as outriders. When recalling their first couple trips, Miller stated, “At first, I don’t think other trail riders knew what to make of us, as most people who make this trek are families or couples. But soon they realized, even
though we were all women, we were also pretty self-sufficient.”
The group also has a history of riding to the rescue. After Hurricane Ike,
the TrailGrazHers left their horses
at home and filled their trailers with relief supplies for the community
of Galveston, Texas. They have also travelled to Tuscaloosa, Alabama. where they set up a “Cowgirl Café” for residents in need of food after devastating tornadoes.
These are just a few of the adventures that the TrailGrazHers have embarked on throughout the years. Although there are surely more, the group of women can’t seem to stop riding long enough to share them.
However, the cowgirls don’t seem
too concerned with slowing down. For them, it’s the bond they share through horseback riding and their relationships as “sisters in the saddle” that have kept them coming back every Tuesday for the past 20 years.
130 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • September 2019 FOR MORE REFLECTIONS OF THE GULF COAST >> www.smliving.net