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In June Frank had begun corresponding with a person over the Internet. Terry, who went by the handle "Cowboy Sarg" was a D.C. Police Sargent, and is very much into horses and rodeo barrel racing. We found that he and his friends had recently purchased a farm in Fort Valley in the middle of the Massanutten mountains of Virginia. Little did we know that this "casual" Internet acquaintance would result in very good friends. | |||||||
 | On June 9th, 2001, Tom and Frank paid their first visit to the farm. Terry, on the left, Tom and Bob on the right, relax on their screened porch which overlooks the valley. | ||||||
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 | Dancer is one of their 5 horses. | ||||||
 | A view from the barn across the pasture with the Massanutten mountains in the distance. | ||||||
 | Back at home we were visited one evening by a baby fox. | ||||||
 | On June 30, we returned to the farm for Frank's first trail ride. This is Sam, a wonderfully calm gentle horse. Frank would get to know Sam very well over the next 6 months. | ||||||
 | Terry is an expert horseman and has been riding since before he could walk. Terry rode Runner for this trip. Runner is part Quarter horse and turned out to be a natural when it comes to barrel racing. | ||||||
 | This is Charlie (Cowboy Chuck). He wasn't able to join us for our first meeting but he showed up for Frank's first ride, and we were glad he did. | ||||||
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 | Charlie, is riding on his horse Alazar. | ||||||
 | Charlie and Frank head up the trail. | ||||||
 | Frank and Terry return from the trip. | ||||||
 | After the ride, Terry washes down the horses. | ||||||
 | We have discovered that Frank and Charlie share many personality similarities. At times they appear to be twins... in the way that they approach things and life in general. | ||||||
 | Sam is the oldest horse on the farm at the age of 21 years old. | ||||||
 | Bob is solid, serious minded, and his interests varies widely from enjoying architecture to being a pianist. He and Tom share many interests and personality similarities. | ||||||
 | After the ride the horses are getting ready for some chow. | ||||||
 | Charlie adjusts a fly mask on Dancer. | ||||||
