Several trail rides shut down Wednesday due to rain

HOUSTON – Whether it shut down trail riders for the day or slowed them down, the weather wedged its way into people's plans Wednesday.

"You never know what this weather in Texas might do," said Wheat McKinney, the trail boss for Valley Lodge Trail Ride Association.

Despite the pockets of heavy downpours, the Valley Lodge Trail riders didn't pull the reins on this rainy day.

"Lighting and thundering will make us stop," McKinney said. "Rain won't hurt us but the lightning will."

With nearly 60 years of trail riding tradition, Valley Lodgers are prepared, sporting their raincoats and 
plastic caps fitted for their cowboy hats.

But not all trail riders opted to take on the weather. The Prairie View trail riders sat this one out Wednesday. 

"I got 20 kids, young kids, riding with me and I don't want them to get sick in this type of weather. I understand it's going to get cold, too," said Myrtis Dightman Jr., the trail boss for Prairie View.

Not to mention the next campsite for Prairie View is waterlogged and they have to repair a few busted wagons. 

Once again, this isn't something these veteran trail riders haven't been through before.

"I think out of my 30 years that I've actually rode consecutive, I had only one out of 30 that it was pretty weather the whole week long," Dightman said.

Dightman added that despite the delay, it will not knock his riders off schedule.

Among those who chose not to ride were:

• Prairie View
• Old Spanish - will not ride Wednesday, drove to Cleveland instead
• Southwestern Trail Riders of Houston - will not be riding Wednesday
• The Spanish - will not be riding Wednesday

Several others decided on a brief pause or a later start, but said they would continue riding:

• Southwest 
• Texas Independence 
• Valley Lodge 
• Northeastern 
• Salt Grass - will roll rain or shine