Woman horseback rider visits Settelmeyers

A lone rider, Bernice Ende, in her mid-50s, has been on the road for three years, and she will spend tonight as a guest at the Settelmeyer Ranch, by special invitation from Nevada Assemblyman James Settelmeyer and his wife Sherese.

Ende is not alone. She has Honor, her horse and Claire, her dog. They have been traveling together on a journey that has taken her as far as Waconia, Minn., down through the mid-west as far south as Las Vegas, N.M., and Tucson, Ariz. She traveled north through Needles, Calif., and Death Valley, spending a few days at Topaz Lake and she is now on her way north to Oregon and then on to Montana where she began her journey three years ago in East Glacier, Mont. There she will rest for a few months before she heads out again on another quest.

"It's just the three of us." Ende said as she spoke of her horse and her dog. "Of course the star of the show is Honor, an 8-year-old mare who's heart and willingness are as great as her thoroughbred spirit; mascot and fearless leader, 6-year-old Claire Dog, a rare, one of a kind, Montana breed of unknown origin; and myself, Bernice, who follows the road for no other reason than the love and longing for the ride.

"I know that I ride these rides with hundreds and hundreds of other kindred spirits who would have, or always wished for, or would love to, but were never able to. They share their joy and generous support that encourages me to share back with them, remarkable journeys as a woman with horse and dog," Ende said.