I need a few facts:
Back by popular demand! "Tales from the TrailsI" began when several of us would sit around and critique each trail ride so that we could adjust and make each ride better. As we talked about the good and bad, someone always had a story about a happening that made each of us laugh til our sides split. So I decided to write them down for all to enjoy. Now like all good story telling, all are based on facts, but remember, the imagination of the story teller can get in the way. Since I can not be in all places at all times feel free to tell on your Buddies and their story might just make it to Tales from the Trails". Read and enjoy!
8 Seconds????
Our friends from Pontotoc provided us with the first rodeo for the season. Saturday morning was beautiful with sunshine and crisp cool air, but we still had some mud problems. While running breakfast chores, I noticed the most beautiful bay quarter horse with bulging muscles and much taller than the average 15 hands. His handler asked me if I was ready for a rodeo, I replied "only if it's a good one". I ran my chores and came right back for my private rodeo and I was not disappointed. As the rider mounted, his horse's eyes widened wildly, the rider grabbed desperately to tighten the reins but it was too late. The horse threw his head down, bowed his back and commenced to bucking wildly (I began to count to 8). Cowboy almost had control of this beast when it took a sharp left slapping the rider on the ground. I give all the credit for no injury to the mud and a very tough pride. You know his very concerned buddies did not laugh, right? And the beast, he let his rider step right in the stirrup and didn't cause anymore problems that day. Guess that cowboy showed him. Oh yeah, he made his 8 seconds.
Scuba Diving
Again our Pontotoc friends provided us with true action. One of our gentlemen Cowboys were trying to splash his wife as they were going past Beaver Lake. Now you have to understand that Beaver Lake is a mystery to us all since it's discovery a few years ago, no one knows its boundaries or especially it's depth. As the story was told, our cowboy got a running start toward his wife in front in order to cause a great splash just to "wet her good"....... but not all plans are perfect. His horse went down slinging the mischievous husband underwater for a scuba divers point of view leaving nothing but his hat floating as evidence. As for his target, she sat high and dry on her mount and all the wives who read this should be laughing.
Follow the Leader
When hosting a trailride everyone has a job or two. I was assigned the job of leading the afternoon ride, my thoughts were "this will be just like when I was a kid playing the game "Follow the Leader" and I get to be the leader all the time. This game proved to be quite different from my childhood memories. My horse was walking so slow that he was falling asleep, I lost 70% of the riders within the first 45 minutes. The other 30% were assuring me that there was no need to stop and wait, the others were reloading their huggies and would be along shortly. In the cut-over I saw a rider on a bucking mule and later realized that the mule only bucked if his rider faced forward, wonder who's in charge? I finally found most of my players at the watering trough and off we went. I was so happy to be the leader again but found that to be short lived. Soon I had only nine riders and they were in front of me. We passed a cross trail with many riders and I heard them say "oh, I thought we were following you." Now I am feeling really bad at my job when someone came up and gave me a full huggie and told me that I was doing a great job, I soon felt much better. Got to love horse people!
Posse Needed!?!
Linda, "the leader," made the remark that Craig, her 8 yr. old son, was missing, simply meaning that he was missing along with the 70% who were no longer following the leader. She was not worried since he was riding a 26 yr. old mare who only follows one of her herd mates. As news travels, the missing boy story got back to his grandfather, Buddy, that Craig was missing and his horse came back to camp without him. Posse Needed! After a search, on the 4 wheeler, Granddad found him happily riding with the group. Later a man reported that his partner was missing and was terribly worried since her horse had acted up earlier in the day. Posse Needed! Many riders immediately rode out with others mounting quickly. Glad to report that she was found shortly, she had chosen to ride alone enjoying the beautiful scenery and wildlife of Cowhorn. Sunday began with a report of a man falling off of his horse, TWICE. When questioned, he said he was trying to pick up his hat but found himself lying beside it on the ground. We were assured the second fall had nothing to do with neither land nor horse, which paints a believable picture knowing that his lounge chair threw him earlier in the day. Couldn't tell what was in the huggie. No posse needed.
