We had quite the excitement on our trail ride today. It was just Fleck, Danny and me again. We hit the usual spot because I wanted to use the wooded hill section. Things started just fine though Danny was being a bit of a ... well, a kid. He kept trying to chew on Fleck, but this time.. I came prepared. I had my jump bat so I would give him a soft pop when he got too friendly. And then once or twice, Fleck had to threaten to kick him. But in general, he was just being a goofy baby trying to play. We went down to the canoe launch area and had a good time. Then we headed back to the swamp/pond/lake area and as we were walking by, a heron took off. Apparently they screech! And sound like a pterydactyl. It was quite comical. Both boys were like "WTF?"! Neither one really spooked, just... looked confused. hee hee. Well, then we crossed the little flat bridge twice. It wasn't an issue with either horse. Then we started back up the hill. At this point Danny started to get a little rambunctious. I don't think he was scared... more just bored. He kept trying to get ahead. Well, the trails are kinda narrow there and Fleck was going first, so... they both ended up trotting up the last little bit. Fleck went to the right of the tree and Danny went to the left. No biggie.... they both stopped and I thought I'd drop the lead rope and pick him back up. Yes... you heard me. I purposedly dropped the lead rope. Sigh..... Won't do that again!! Although previous times where I have lost the lead rope... he's let me catch him right up. NOT this time! The little turkey decided to off up the trail. Okay... don't panic Holly.. just call him. He'll come back. He's alone in the woods... he'll come back to Fleck. Then he goes a little farther...Okay.... well don't chase him and scare him.. keep calling him and whistling... Then suddenly he's cantering up the trail. Well crud... maybe he's not coming back. Then he's out of sight. Okay... um CRAP!!! GO Flecky Go!!!! Let's go get him!! So Fleck and I tahe off at a trot.. then realize he's nowhere to be seen, so we canter.. .then we're galloping up the trail. Still no Danny. Oh crud..... so then I get to the fork... and can sorta see leaves moved so I figure he went that way. Even if not... I decide to head back to the trailer because if he's there, I want to get there as quick as possible. If he's not.... I can double back and find him. So Fleck and I go galloping up.... come out of the woods by the trailer parking lot and THANK GOD!! He's there.... on OUR side of the barbed wire fence... of which on the other side is the road. Phew..... He comes trotting up to us with his tail over his hiney all fancy prancy "look at me Mom"! Argh... You little twit!! You just gave me a heart attack!!! Well, I jump off, catch him and then hop back on. Then some nice lady pulls into the parking lot and yells out to see if I need help. No, thank you!!! Not anymore thank God! :)
So, having quite the Appaloosa personality myself.... instead of just being grateful and putting them in the trailer and taking them back home... I decide.. nope. We need to pony some more.. make sure he knows he can't do that! So... we go back to walking... And then... this is where I really push my luck, but... I also know that he didn't bolt.. I just let go! So, we walk over the two logs that are like jumps... no problem. So then I circle and we trot over them. :) Yay!! He jumped both and got a little frisky, but no big deal. So then we trot up the hill, walk a bit, and then I let them graze. THEN we go back to the trailer and load up and go home.
Phew...... I would prefer to NOT go through that again..... And I thanked God the whole way home and am still thanking Him that nothing bad happened.
I hope Danny and I can survive each other!!!
PS...this was the look he gave me when I told him he was a naughty boy today!!
Who Moi?!? Never!
Oh geeze, i would have had a heart attack! When Logan was 10 months old I didn't have a horse safe enough to pony him so I used to take him on long walks around the eventing farm I had him boarded at. One day I decided to actually walk him to the cross country course (quite a decent hack on horseback, so walking it was a good distance.).
ReplyDeleteWe're coming through the woods and he's being his goofy self, he was still a stud at this point too so he'd randomly be extra silly at odd ball moments. Biggest freakin turkey I have ever seen comes flying at us, apparently Turkeys can be mean and territorial! Who knew?! I screamed, Logan flipped out jerked the rope out of my hand and we BOTH RAN! Needless to say he lost me pronto to save himself, but I found him miraculously waiting in the hay field at the start of the woods looking deeply concerned that maybe o didn't make it.
I think he still remembers this Kamakazee attack turkey personally since the last turkey hen to get in the pasture was greatest with flying hooves as Logan chased her across the pasture.
ha ha... That's funny! Fleck is terrified of fowl too ;) Silly babies!!!!
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