BRVHRT, et al, Chapter 3

[Victoria A Thompson <toriandsteve@juno.com>]

So, it was time to move out.

The trail was visible.  It was terribly overgrown, but you could just
make out the faintest outline weaving through the brush.  BRVHRT and the
Jeep were slowly, confidently picking their way along the side of the
hill.  CHCKNSHT and the Cadillac were quite content to follow along
behind.  No rocks, no scrambling to keep their footing, but slow going,
none the less, because of the overgrowth and fading light.  CHKNSHT's
stomach was back where it belonged, and the Cadillac was perfectly happy
with her nose just behind the Jeep's rear bumper.

Then, out of the blue, the Jeep veered up the hill and started climbing
again.  The Cadillac followed.  BRVHRT, no longer able to make out the
trail, halted the Jeep in a copse of rocks that blocked any forward
motion, save one way.  It was now dark enough that BRVHRT was confused. 
She wanted to trust the Jeep to find the way, but this was not right. 
Somewhere they had, once again, gone astray.  While turning around was
not totally out of the question, it did seem defeatist, especially since
we could see the trail off in the distance disappearing over the hill. 
There was one way out.  Right in front of the Jeep was an opening in the
rocks.  An opening that led out on to what?  It was too dark to know for
sure.  It looked like either a big flat rock, or a patch of grass. 
Whatever it was it lead onto the golf course.  In CHKNSHT's mind was, "
Golf course means cart path.  Cart path means a way out."  BRVHRT was
frustrated.  She knew the trail led up.  Going down to the golf course
took them away from the trail.  CHKNSHT finally said, "I'm not busting
anymore brush in the dark."  BRVHRT said she agreed and led them onto the
golf course.  

There was just enough light left on the tops of the hills to see the
trail that would take them home.  It also looked like a path led up to
the trail from the golf course about 75 yards or so down the cart path. 
It was agreed to take the cart path that far and get on the trail from
there.  

They turned off the cart path onto a dirt road that quickly petered out
into nothing.  CHKNSHT once again stated she would not bust brush in the
dark, but the trail was just up above them.  This was so frustrating,
especially to BRVHRT, because she and the Jeep travel the trail
frequently on their training rides.  BRVHRT decided to get off the Jeep
and continue forward on foot.  CHKNSHT was to remain behind until BRVHRT
figured out how to get up to the trail.  The Cadillac would have none of
that.  She followed along behind the Jeep, picking her way carefully
through the brush.  At a distance the terrain looked very different than
what the girls found.  What was thought to be a straight shot up the hill
to the trail turned out to have a canyon right in the middle.  CHKNSHT
stopped the Cadillac about 10 feet from the edge of the canyon.  During
the day she figured it could be easily navigated by a sure footed horse,
but the Cadillac had already fallen off two cliffs before, she didn't
want to experience a third.  Especially in the dark.  CHKNSHT turned
back.

The Cadillac was within seconds of throwing a tantrum because she had
been taken away from the Jeep.  She was only taken a short distance away
to the dirt road, but it was far enough to cause her considerable
anxiety.  CHKNSHT had had enough.  She brought the ends of her leather
reins down onto the big mares rump just as hard as she possibly could. 
The snap as the leather hit was like a gunshot compared to the quiet
sounds of the night.  It got the attention of the Cadillac, though.  The
big mare knew she was in trouble, and decided it would be in her best
interests if she saved her tantrum for another occasion.  CHKNSHT turned
the mare around so she would be facing the Jeep and BRVHRT.  Lord, it was
dark.  CHKNSHT could not see BRVHRT at all, and the creamy white Jeep was
just vaguely visible.  CHKNSHT turned the light on her watch ... 8:00.

BRVHRT was through.  She couldn't make heads or tails of the terrain in
the dark, and she wasn't any keener on busting brush in the dark than
CHKNSHT was.  She slowly made her way back down to CHKNSHT.  "Do you see
that road way over there?"  BRVHRT pointed to the barely visible line
going up and over the hill on the opposite side of the golf course. 
"That's what we call 'the running road'.  It's not as direct a route as
this trail, but it's a nice, big road that will get us home just the
same.  Let's just take the cart path around the golf course and go home
that way."  CHKNSHT heard 'cart path and nice, big road', and that was
all she needed.  BRVHRT, still on the ground, led off.  A very steep hill
was approaching and BRVHRT said it might be better if CHKNSHT either got
off or rode on the dirt to the side.  Neither was necessary.  The cart
path was so well grooved and textured neither horse slipped even once the
whole entire time.

"Look."  BRVHRT pointed to the silhouette of a coyote on the crest of a
hill just in front of them.  The coyote disappeared over the other side. 
It was the last object they were able to clearly see for an hour.  

BRVHRT stopped at the junction of 'the running road' and the cart path. 
We could just barely make out the fence posts that lined the edge of the
road.  The wire across the posts was invisible.  BRVHRT said, "There's a
gate across the road up at the top of the hill.  If it's closed we'll
have to come back.......you know, maybe we should just stick to the cart
path until we get to the club house and go back down the streets like you
suggested earlier."  The Hallelujah Chorus was ringing in CHKNSHT's ears!
 Whether BRVHRT said this for CHKNSHT's sake, or if she was too sore or
tired to take the chance they'd have to turn back, or too scared to take
the chance CHKNSHT might fall off somewhere in the dark is anybodies
guess.  CHKNSHT didn't care how long it took to get home as long as the
footing was familiar.  

They continued down the cart path.  It was so dark the signs along the
path could barely be seen by BRVHRT, who was still on the ground. 
CHKNSHT couldn't see any of them until she was standing right next to
them, and even then she couldn't read them.  Finally, after what seemed
like an eternity, they walked into the parking lot of the club house. 
CHKNSHT checked her watch again ... 9:04.  

The long walk down the club house drive was pitch black.  The only light
coming from the occasional spark from one of the horses shoes.  Finally,
in front of them was the bridle path they had taken to get into the golf
course.  BRVHRT mounted the Jeep and they left the "Horse trail closed"
sign behind them.

Street lights!!  What a wonderful invention.  Look, there's a hole!  Oh,
and see the pile of cement over there!  Look at the pretty kitty!  And
the dreaded balloons!  Look how straight and tall, and still, they are
floating above us now that there is no wind!  Back into Hidden Valley
they rode, and, suddenly, the horses realized they were pointed towards
home and picked up their pace.

From somewhere  deep within their memories Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The
Battle of New Orleans, The Goatherd song from The Sound of Music, Buddy
Bear, Trot My Pony Trot, Camp Grenada and, finally, Jodie calls, sprang
from their throats as they wound their way back through the streets of
Horsetown.  And, finally, they arrived safe and sound back at their barn,
except, that is, for a swollen thumb, bruised elbow, wrenched neck, bum
knee and wounded pride.  

The Jeep looked fresh as a daisy.  Not a speck of sweat on her.  Of
course, the 4 1/4 hours they were out and about didn't even constitute a
training ride for her.  The Jeep didn't even feel it necessary to go and
roll when her saddle was removed.  She just went back to her stall and
started eating her dinner.  The Cadillac was pooped.  The saddle was
stripped from her back and the bridle removed and she went to the rear of
the stable and started eating grass.  About 15 minutes later CHKNSHT
brought her back and checked her over as best she could in the dim light
of the barn.  Shoes still on securely, no cuts or scrapes that she could
see, but dried sweat covered every inch of the big buckskins body.  Cool
water was sprayed on the legs, a rubber curry comb massaged the body, and
a wet cloth cleaned the dried sweat off the face.  Bigeloil was rubbed
into the legs.  As a final gesture, CHKNSHT offered the Cadillac a drink
of cool water from the hose ... and the offer was accepted!  But just a
little.  Drinking out of the hose is as repugnant to the sophisticated
lady as drinking beer out of the bottle is to Queen Elizabeth.  No self
respecting equine would be caught dead doing that!!!!  CHKNSHT turned the
mare loose and she slowly made her way back to the rear of the stable to
eat grass.  CHKNSHT made up her carrots and a little grain and walked
back to the Cadillac's stall.  Before moving to Horsetown, CHKNSHT could
turn the Cadillac loose to graze along the sides of the trails in Palos
Verdes and the big mare would always return immediately when whistled to.
 Her obedience to the whistle ended the day she was moved to Horsetown. 
CHKNSHT didn't really want to walk all the way back to get the horse, so
she gave a whistle .... and from out of the darkness she heard trotting
feet!  The big mare came trotting out of the darkness just like she used
to do!!  And nobody was there to see it!!!!!  

BRVHRT and CHKNSHT walked out to their cars.  All in all, they agreed,
except for a short period of time, it had been a good ride.  They'd have
to do it again sometime .... during the day, of course!

If you don't believe my story is true, go ask that blind man, he saw it
too!